Name: Visitation for Dr. Wilma J. Pesavento
Start: 2021-08-09T20:00:00.000Z
End: 2021-08-10T01:00:00.000Z
Location: Panozzo Bros. Funeral Home

Dr. Wilma 'Billie' J. Pesavento, age 93, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, August 1st. Longtime Dunedin, Florida resident formerly of Waukegan, Winthrop Harbor, Homewood and Chicago's Roseland/West Pullman/Pullman neighborhoods. Graduate of Winthrop Harbor Elementary School, Zion-Benton High School, received her Bachelor's degree in Physical Education from the University of Illinois-Urbana and Ph.D. in Education from Northwestern University in 1966. Wife for 65 years of the late Roy Pesavento. Devoted mother of Lisa (Donald Stoub) Pesavento and David (Nancy) Pesavento. Beloved grandmother of James (Jennifer) Raymond and David (Katherine Baumann) Raymond. Fond step-grandmother of Erin (John Lynch) Stoub, Austin (Allison Kato) Stoub, Douglas (Nicole) Stoub, Paige (Paul Frede) Stoub, and Tyler (Laura) Stoub. New great-grandmother of Evelyn Jade Raymond. Daughter of the late Nell Susana "Helen" nee Anen and Herman DeYoung. Cherished aunt to Anita (Kenneth) Osterman, Michele Walsh, Gil (Muriel) LaRoche and Paul (Mary) LaRoche. Dear cousin to Marilyn Fossland Kirschhoffer and the late Elaine Johnson Smith who grew up as best friends together. Billie was not only devoted to her family but to serving others. She taught at the Iowa State University-Ames after graduation and then for the University of Illinois-Chicago. She taught at UIC-Navy Pier in 1950 as Professor and Head of the Department of Physical Education, where she oversaw the Professional Preparation Program for Physical Education majors. To these students she stressed the importance of making classes educational and enjoyable; giving personal attention to students; serving as a role model; and continuing education post-graduation through workshops, seminars and classes. After Chicago Circle Campus opened in 1965, she continued to serve as Professor and Department Head, and was appointed Director of Graduate Studies in Physical Education. Along with holding several administrative positions, her courses focused heavily on the History of Sport and Play in America, and her research specialties on early 20th Century Native-American Sports and 19th Century Pullman Factory Workers' Sport and Leisure. She retired in 1984 as Professor Emerita and gratefully received the UIC Flame Award for Teaching Excellence in 2007, nominated by her former students from the 1960s! Billie was an accomplished golfer and watercolor artist. Longtime member of Lincolnshire Country Club in Crete, Illinois, and Dunedin Country Club in Florida. She enjoyed her family and lifelong friendships with her colleagues, former students and friends. She was loved and respected by many. Resting at Panozzo Bros. Funeral Home, 530 W. 14th Street (U.S. Rt. 30, 3 blocks East of Western Avenue), Chicago Heights, 60411 on Monday August 9th from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Services at funeral home Tuesday August 10th 10:00 AM. Burial Mount Hope Cemetery, Chicago. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Wilma's name to University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) Women's Golf Team Scholarships at uicflam.es/Pesavento would be appreciated by the Pesavento family. Info 708-481-9230 or [email protected].

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by SouthtownStar from Aug. 6 to Aug. 8, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for Wilma Pesavento

6 Entries

Judy Zussman

August 9, 2021

Judy Zussman

August 9, 2021

Judy Zussman

August 9, 2021

Both Pam Milchrist and Pauline (Peterson) Lussenhop have said all that I am thinking and recall from the many ways Dr. Pesavento affected our lives. I will add a few more thoughts to what they have already said.

Dr. Pesavento was our professor and advisor at Navy Pier from 1961 to 1963. First and foremost she was a true professional. She took her job and responsibility to prepare us to become accomplished Physical Education teachers very seriously. Dr. Pesavento's serious approach elicited our best efforts in her classes because she expected and demanded no less! There was little room for foolishness and it was a rare occasion when our antics brought a smile to her face. Yes, she "meant business," but she also showed that she was all too human and had a good sense of humor.

Dr. Pesavento influenced me in so many ways. Perhaps the best lesson I took from her as a student was that nothing less than my best effort was acceptable. Being a teacher carried with it a huge responsibility.

How fortunate I was to have her as my professor and going forward throughout my adult years to be able to call her my friend.

Rest in Peace Wonderful Woman,

Judy Zussman

Ellen Hale

August 9, 2021

Knowing Billie when she spent time in Dunedin, Florida was always special. She and her family were loyal guests at a restaurant I work at as well as the Dunedin Golf Club. Always enjoyed spending time with the family and her husband, Roy, was always such a delight as well. We all enjoyed our Chicago stories as was from there and each visit I made , Billie gave me a piece of friendly advice over a cocktail before I left. Always special for so many years.

Pauline "Petie" Lussenhop

August 8, 2021

After reading Pam Milchrist's entry I can say that Pam said it all about Dr. P She was an outstanding teacher, mentor, and later in life a friend. I have so many lifelong friends which I met in Navy Pier as a PE Major. Dr. P was my inspiration to continue my education and be on of the few that graduated from the freshman class of 40 at Navy Pier.
I went on to Urbana and finished my degree and graduated because Billie was a great inspiration. I never imagined that a Polish/Swedish girl from the southside of Chicago could fulfill a dream and graduate from the University of Illinois.
Through the years our little "Pier" group kept in touch with Dr. P and her daughter Lisa and we became lifelong friends. It is very hard for me to think that this beautiful woman has passed on to heaven.
One great memory was attending her 90th birthday party at Lisa's home. I got the idea of doing a skit, hitting all the goofy stuff we did at the Pier. I got Kathy, Pam and Judy Zussman in on the skit and it was so much fun and made for another great memory of Dr. P.
Billie, Dr. P was one of a kind and I have never been acquainted with another individual who who affected my life as she did. I am already missing her. Thank You Billie for what you have done for me and making me the teacher you wanted me to be. Love, Pauline

Pam Milchrist

August 7, 2021

Mrs. Pesavento "Billie" was a role model to so many of her students. She graced our presence with her elegance and her insights. As a "Pierite" in the early 1960´s, she was an inspiration to all of us city kids who came to Navy Pier mostly because we couldn´t afford to go downstate to Urbana. We were rough around the edges, a little wild at times, and city smart coming from the South, North and West sides of the city. I can´t remember anyone coming from the suburbs. We took buses, and street cars, and Els to get to Navy Pier. The winters were brutal, and the long journey to the Pier ended with a mile walk to get to the gym (the dome at the end of the pier) for our first classes with Mrs. Pesavento. She was simply stunning, standing tall with her auburn hair and well pressed blouses and flowered shorts and Jimmy Pearsall tennis shoes. When we started as freshmen, there were over 40 in our class. On our first day of professional orientation, she told us to look to the left and look to the right and said "only a dozen or so of you will be here next year." Oh, how lucky for me that I was one of the dozen.
Her standards were high and her expectations of us higher. We didn´t know during our freshmen year that while we were commuting long distances to school, she was too. She took the Illinois Central to downtown from the Roseland/West Pullman neighborhood and then took a bus to the Pier. She walked the same mile we did to get to the gym. We all came to classes looking frazzled and yet she was always poised, always prepared, and always perceptive to our needs. She did this while she was raising her two young children David and Lisa, and studying at Northwestern for her PhD.
Billie Pesavento was a remarkable human being. She was responsible for providing her students with the foundations of our profession. Through her role modeling, she taught us what it meant to be a professional. We carried her knowledge and insights with us as we journeyed into our professional careers. Billie´s legacy lives on through our students, our children, our families, and all those who we have served. Thank you Mrs. Pesavento for all that you did for your students and your family, and all of those who were blessed with your presence.

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 results