Delores Wichman

Delores E. Wichman passed away with grace and peace on March 4, 2026, with her granddaughter by her side. She lived her life with gratitude towards everything; her family and friends, her home and land, her ability to learn and work, her travels and hobbies.

Delores was born in Forreston, IL on July 25, 1927 (Christmas in July as she would remind us all) as an only child to John and Viola (Swank) Abbas. Delores graduated from Forreston High School as Valedictorian in 1945. She met her husband Paul at the county fair, they married on July 25, 1946 and welcomed their only child Judy in 1947. Delores was a dedicated Farmer’s Wife and worked at Micro Switch (Honeywell) in Freeport IL as a Human Resource Administrator.

Together, Paul and Delores built a life that allowed them to travel all fifty states, Europe, Mexico, and Jamicia. Delores had the honor of traveling to Holland, her family’s heritage, and enjoyed experiencing the fields of tulips. Both Paul and Delores’s favorite traveling experience was camping in Devil’s Lake and Baraboo WI with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Delores enjoyed card games with friends and family. She taught her grandchildren Rummikub, Uno and Solitaire – to which multiple boards and card decks could be found throughout her home and camper. Her favorite TV game show was Wheel of Fortune.

During Delores’s relaxing times she enjoyed creating over 150 quilts that she gifted to her family members (that will be cherished for always) and to Neo-natal Units. Delores was also an active member of Sinnissippi Quilters. For Delores’s 90th birthday her daughter, granddaughter, and two great-granddaughters organized a Tour of Barn Quilts within Stephenson County.

Delores is survived by her daughter Judy Dall, her grandson Aaron (Rachel) Dall, her granddaughter Jennifer (Larry) Graff, her great-grandchildren Sammantha, Zackary and AnnaLynn Dall, Christopher (Rachel) Graff, Jessica Graff (Shawn Meilicke), and Mason Rehberg, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Phil and Mary Wichman and many nieces and nephews.

Delores was proceeded in death by her husband Paul E. Wichman, her parents John and Viola (Swank) Abbas, her father & mother-in-law George and Maybelle (Ruthe) Wichman, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Earl and Dorthey (Wichman) Ackerman, her cousin (“sister”) Helen (Hiteman) Hartog. Delores has been laid to rest beside her husband Paul in an intimate private ceremony at Chaple Hill Memorial Gardens.

Delores was a tough woman who held her family together through many trials and tribulations without complaint. She was the one to remind us all to keep faith, there is always good, continue to learn, to always explore and live a life of gratitude.