Helen Josephine Shierry

CHAMPAIGN - Helen Josephine (Corl) Shierry, 90, died peacefully on Sept. 26, 2025, at Carriage Crossing Senior Living of Champaign. Her husband, Bob, preceded her in death in 2008.

Helen is survived by siblings Carol (Phil) Blankenberg of Monticello and Tom Corl (Mary Cotton) of Oxford, Md.

She is preceded in death by her siblings Edith McCauley, Ruth Deem and Charles Corl, who died in infancy.

Her surviving descendants include Stephen Shierry and wife, Heidi, of Villa Park; as well as daughter Diane Adams and husband, Rob, of Champaign; her granddaughter, Katherine Adams Colon; great-grandchild, MJ, of N.Y.; as well as grandsons, Spencer Adams of Champaign and Andrew Adams of Chicago. Her surviving family also includes many nieces; nephews; grandnieces; grandnephews; and a great-grandniece.

Helen was born in Freeport on Nov. 24, 1934, to parents Floyd and Nellie Corl. She spent most of her childhood and teenage years living in Rock Falls. She met the love of her life, Robert Shierry, at Rock Falls High School. One of Helen's favorite stories was when Bob asked her, and her father, if he could walk her home from a school dance on a cold night. Even though her father, the high school principal, was chaperoning and could have driven, she and her father both said yes. Helen married Bob on June 14, 1953, at Rock Falls Methodist Church.

At the time they wed, Helen was a young librarian at the Sterling Public Library, the first of many jobs she would have in libraries. It would be barely a year before Bob was drafted into the Army. She followed Bob across the country to join him at posts in Kansas and Baltimore. Bob was discharged in 1955, and the next year, Helen and Bob moved to Urbana so he could pursue a degree in civil engineering at the University of Illinois. She took a job at the Engineering Library.

In 1960, Helen left work to give birth to Stephen, born in early 1961. Helen's daughter, Diane, followed a few years later. Helen stayed at home in their childhood to raise them. In the early 1970s, she began volunteering at the Robeson Elementary School Library and eventually took on a job as the library clerk there. She would guide generations of students to share in her love of reading during her time at Robeson before retiring in 1994.

Throughout her life, Helen enjoyed counted cross stitch, which would eventually decorate every room of her house.

A longtime member of Faith United Methodist Church, she was active in her Sunday school class and the Kathryn Wood Circle until her health made it difficult to leave home. Helen was a lifelong football fan. She spent many years attending UI games in person with Bob. She continued to enjoy watching football on TV throughout her life, regardless of which teams were playing.

In her retirement, she frequently made trips to the Champaign Public Library. When her health prevented these trips, she spoke often of her gratitude to neighbors and friends who brought her new books to read. Her love of books stayed with her for her entire life and she was known to carry a bag with a book or two with her wherever she went.

Helen often spoke about the importance of family, both the family we're given and the family we choose. She enjoyed decades of vacations with her sisters, family reunions, cookouts, holidays and time with her grandchildren.

Helen's visitation will be at Morgan Memorial Funeral Home, 1304 Regency Drive West in Savoy from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6. A Celebration of Life will be held at Faith United Methodist Church, 1719 S. Prospect in Champaign at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7.

Memorials may be made to the Champaign Public Library Foundation, Faith United Methodist Church or The Salvation Army.

Condolences may be offered at morganmemorialhome.com.