Velma "Vel" Dysart

1930 - 2025

Velma "Vel" Dysart
Born: September 5, 1930
Died: November 16, 2025
Velma (Vel) Dysart, 95, of Crystal Lake, passed away in her home on November 16, 2025.
Vel was the first daughter born to Eugene Almont and Velma Elizabeth (Ledin) Plumb at their home in Rochelle, Illinois. They lived in rented homes until she was 11, when they built a home on the edge of Rochelle.
World War II offered job opportunities for Vel, whose junior high was bused early each morning to help cut asparagus, where she often saw trucks full of German prisoners of war also coming to work there.
She worked at many various jobs during high school – as a paper girl, carhop, pin setter in a bowling alley, babysitter, and soda jerk, among others.
The family moved to Dixon, Illinois the year she turned 16. She graduated from Dixon High School in 1948 and met her future husband there.
She enrolled in Northern Illinois State Teachers College, in Dekalb, Illinois, and after one year and one summer term, she went to Remmel, Arkansas to teach for a year – at the age of 19.
Returning to college, she and Wilson (Bill) Dysart were married on March 16 at the home of her parents, and the two settled at Purdue University where Bill graduated and then took an assistantship while getting a
Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering while Vel took classes.
The next move was to Columbus, Indiana where Bill worked at Cummins and they added to their family – 3 girls and 1 boy.
Then they moved back to Illinois – first to a rented house in Huntley and then to a home in Crystal Lake. There they added 2 more daughters to the family.
Vel was gradually completing classes toward her teacher's degree from what was now Northern Illinois University.
In 1961 she completed her Batchelor's degree and in 1967 her Masters Degree from Northern and began a teaching career that lasted 29 years – first teaching kindergarten in Ridgefield, and later at Prairie Grove School, where she was a Reading teacher. She enjoyed her years of teaching, but took early retirement shortly after her husband retired.
Throughout her life she was active in several organizations. She volunteered in the YMCA's early years, worked with 4-H and Campfire Girls, then Girl Scouts and AAUW, along with the town chorus, and was a square dancer and active in her local church – the First Church of Christ, Scientist throughout her life.
The couple traveled extensively – in the early years camping in the U.S., and later with Elderhostel (now Road Scholar), taking 23 trips with them both in the U.S. and abroad. Their international travels took them to many parts of the world, and Vel made some additional trips with some of her friends and family.
Besides travel, she loved swimming and sailing with Bill in the family's sailboat, bike riding and gardening. An avid reader, she once wanted to read all the books in the library!
She enjoyed many friendships with older women and often volunteered when they needed help.
She worked many years at the historical museum in Union, being the 'Schoolmarm' for the visiting school groups and doing general volunteer functions for them.
The family was musical, with Vel the piano player and the children playing various instruments. Bill was a barbershop singer and they loved musical performances.
After Bill's passing late in 2021, Vel stayed on at her home, enjoying her gardening and the friendly neighborhood. She was grateful for the help given to her for her transportation needs or repairs from many younger friends.
Her children were great comforts to her when she was left alone. She loved her family and life and made the most of it.
In later years she worked extensively on genealogy research for both her and Bill's families. She traveled and researched and was a member of two family group organizations.
Her parents, Eugene and Velma Plumb, four sisters – Virginia Eisele, Gloria Cummings, Marilyn Milroy, and Patricia Wilson, husband Bill and one brother – Philip Plumb preceded her in death. She leaves six children: Jennifer (Ken) Balla of Pasadena, Maryland, Nanette (Bill) Luby of Deerfield, Amanda (Ray) Beth of Woodstock, Bart (Kathryn Taylor) Dysart of Dallas, TX, Heather (Mark) Monson of Madison, WI, and Allison (Steve Vasquez) Dysart of Oak Park, one sister – Carolyn Brooks of Dixon, IL, and one granddaughter Bethany (Natasha) Seitz of Marquette, MI and lots of nieces, nephews and their children.
A memorial will be held in Crystal Lake at a future date.
Donations in her honor may be made to the AAUW Crystal Lake Area Branch, 461 Rockland Rd, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or First Church of Christ, Scientist, Barrington, IL, 421 E Main Street, Barrington, IL 60010.