Agnes Albrecht Starks

Agnes Albrecht Starks, 98, passed away on February 29th peacefully surrounded by family at the home of her son, James Albrecht in Tiskilwa. Agnes Kathleen Ryan was born on August 28, 1917, in Nichols, Iowa and moved with her family to Bradford, Illinois to stay with relatives after facing hardships during the 1930''s depression. She graduated from Bradford High School in 1935. On, April 20, 1941, she married Harold Albrecht and dutifully raised six children. Later, she was an active Bureau County 4-H leader for 15 years which impacted the lives of many young people. In 1977, she received a terminal cancer diagnosis and agreed to become a research participant at the MD Anderson Tumor and Cancer Institute in Houston, TX. Several years later, she survived a second bout of cancer. With successful treatment and a miracle recovery, she spent her remaining 39 years dancing, traveling the world, participating in the family farming business, and enjoying the many additions of her growing family. Always, a strong and feisty woman, at the age of 83, she drove the family combine through the fields during harvest. At 91, she did a solo camel ride to the delight and entertainment of her children and grandchildren. Also, she enjoyed many winters as an Arizona snowbird. Agnes had a very strong faith in God and deep spiritual beliefs that sustained her during difficult times. She was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. She is survived by three daughters and two sons. Betty (Tom) Conley of Littleton, CO, Rosemary (Karl) Gaber of Peoria Heights, IL, James (Laura) Albrecht of Tiskilwa, IL, Mary Roos of Carmel, CA and Ray Albrecht of Menasha, WI,; 11 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; 8 great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husbands: Harold Albrecht, Dick Wilcox, and Robert Starks, son Thomas Lee who died in infancy, daughter Virginia, and sister Mary Alberta O''Donnell. Visitation will be at the Grant- Johnson Funeral home in Bradford on Thursday March 3rd from 4-7 pm. Rosary will be recited at 6:30pm. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 am on March 4that St. John''s the Baptist Catholic Church in Bradford, with Father Cyr officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Bloom Cemetery in Tiskilwa. Memorials may be made to IVCH Hospice, St. Johns Baptist Catholic Church, or the Bradford Senior Citizens.