Georgene Kirschbaum

Georgene Kirschbaum, 72 of Peru passed away Tuesday (February 4, 2025) at the home of her niece in Champaign.

Private family services will be held at the Winterrowd Funeral Home with burial in the Riverview Cemetery.

Georgene was born on August 11, 1952, in Streator to George R. and Betty L. (Cave) Handzo.

She is survived by a step sister Julie (Rick) Maierhofer of Seneca, brother in law Curtis Simons of Streator, nieces and nephews, Stacy (Matthew) Anderson of Champaign, Todd (Pamela) Coates of Jacksonville, FL, Toby (Amy) Coates of Pontiac, Scott (Anna) Simons of Orland Park, Jena (Michael) Sheedy of Marseilles, Jill (Chad) Caputo of Morris, Janelle (Andrew) Chamberlain of Ottawa along with many great nieces and nephews. Georgene is also survived by a few longtime, wonderful and caring friends that were always there when she needed them, Sally Pelszynki of Princeton, Bonnie Highland of Las Vegas, Mary Ellen Schroeder of Mendota, Lynn (Kovac) Valis of Pennsylvania along with many other friends and acquaintances.

She is preceded in death by her parents, stepfather Elliott Peterson, sister Sharon Simons and stepbrother Paul Peterson.

Georgene graduated from St. Stephen’s Grade School, Woodland High School and attended classes at IVCC. She worked through the years for St. Mary’s Hospital, The Medical Clinic in Streator and the for the State of Illinois at Pontiac Correctional Center office, in Springfield for the Department of Public Health and finally at the Illinois Veterans Home in LaSalle, from where she retired.

She was a former member of St. Stephen’s Church and currently a member of St. Joseph’s Church in Peru.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital @ P.O. Box 1991, Memphis, TN 38101-9982.