Carole Perona

Carole Perona, 81, of Peru passed away Friday, January 20, 2023, surrounded by her loving family.
In celebration of a life well lived, the Rosary will be recited at 8:30 am, Saturday, January 28, 2023, at Holy Family Church in Oglesby, followed by visitation at 9:00 am, and Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am. Rev. Paul Carlson, pastor, and Rev. Gregory Jarzombek OSB will concelebrate. Burial will be at a later date in the Ladd Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to the Prey-Mueller Funeral Home, Oglesby.
Carole was born on February 15, 1941, at St. Mary's Hospital in La Salle, IL to Gildo and Lila (Halm) Costa. She graduated from Holy Family Grade School in 1955 and La Salle-Peru High School in 1959 while working as a shampoo girl at the Personality Beauty Shop owned and operated by her mother, Lila. She attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. During the summer of 1960 she met Paul Perona, and the two were married on December 26, 1961, at Holy Family Church.
They then lived in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood as Paul finished up at the Northwestern College of Law. Never one to sit idle, she worked at Saks 5th Avenue capitalizing on her years of observing and assisting her aunt, Clara Defilippi, at the Personality Frock Shoppe, just across the street from the Beauty Shop. She also attended The Art Institute of Chicago where she enhanced her considerable artistic talents. After Paul's graduation they returned to the Illinois Valley, residing first in Spring Valley, then Lynwood Subdivision, and now Peru.
Carole was a woman of many talents and qualities. She was an excellent cook, a loyal and entertaining friend, an energetic and loving mother to her five children, and an inspiration to her nine grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Among such abundant strengths, perhaps Carole's most remarkable quality was her amazing smile, generosity and concern for others. With Paul beside her she was a longtime and deeply committed volunteer, freely giving her time, heart, intelligence and considerable charisma to causes ranging from the Illinois Valley Food Pantry, serving on the Board; to decades of enthusiastic participation in Special People Encounter Christ, an organization dedicated to teaching religion to people with developmental disabilities. She cooked food for PADS, the local homeless shelter; she delivered for Meals on Wheels; served as a Eucharistic Minister, providing communion for shut-ins; and repeatedly hosted inner city adolescents in the already active Perona home as part of the Friendly Town program in the late 1960's and early 1970's.
Indeed, it was in her home that Carole's compassion and caring spirit was most evident. As Paul says, "She just took people in." The lucky houseguests included cousins, nephews, friends, even a Polish refugee and a Vietnamese family-virtually anyone who needed comfort and support. Perceptive and confident, she was quick to figure out what people needed and eager to provide it. She did it all with an engaging twinkle in her eye that convinced her many beneficiaries that she truly enjoyed helping them.
It was a wonder to see all that talent and creativity focused on helping other people.
She is survived by her husband Paul, her daughter, Mary Beth (Kevin) Hinders of Champaign, two sons, Paul (Joanne) of La Salle, and Mark (Peggy) of Chicago, her steadfast sister, Lana (Gary) Peterlin of Oglesby, nine grandchildren; Maria (Ross) Richards, Christiana (John) Timmerman, Paul (Danielle) Perona, Gina (Iván) Herrera, John Patrick Perona, Julia (Artem) Konotopskiy, Christine Perona, Kevin Michael Hinders, and Gia Perona, eight great-grandchildren, two sisters-in-law, Joan Perona and Bernadette (Rich) Raffin, cousins, and many, many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two handsome and kind sons, Bruce and Michael, brother-in-law, Judge Louis James Perona, and in-laws Raymond and Theresa Brolley.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Paul Perona, Paul F. Perona, John Patrick Perona, Mark Perona, Kevin Hinders, Kevin Michael Hinders, Brian Peterlin and Marshall Peterlin.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Holy Family School, 336 Alice Avenue Oglesby, IL 61348 or Holy Family Church, 311 N. Woodland Ave, Oglesby, IL 61348 or Peru PADS Homeless Shelter, 1320 Menards Drive Peru, IL 61354 www.ivpads.com