Stella Chenore

Stella G. Chenore, of Fontana, Wis., formerly of St. Anne and Coal City, passed away on Monday (Aug. 18, 2008), at the age of 93. Her son was by her side when she fell into eternal sleep at Vintage on the Ponds assisted living facility in Delavan, Wis.Stella began life as a cute and cuddly baby girl on Sept. 25, 1914, in Clifton, Illinois, as the youngest of 11 children of Delphis and Carol Mear. Her original career was two-fold, a full-time mother as well as a farmer's wife to her late husband, Rodger. Stella retired into the real estate business at the tender age of 63 and worked as a real estate agent in Coal City, Illinois, until 2003, when she was 88.Stella is survived by her son, Rodger D. Chenore and daughter-in-law, Laura Chenore of Fontana, Wis; her son-in-law, Roy Namchick of Coal City, Illinois; and four grandchildren, Ranger and Remington Chenore of Fontana, Renee Namchick of Fort Worth, Texas, and John Namchick of Coal City.She is preceded in death by her husband, Rodger A. Chenore; one daughter, Susan Carol Namchick; and 10 brothers and sisters.Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Clancy-Gernon-Houk Funeral Home in St. Anne. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Anne Catholic Church.Interment will be in St. Anne Catholic Cemetery.In addition to loving and catering to her family, Stella had several passions and was an independent, compassionate and competitive spirit. Almost from birth, she became and remained a "die-hard" Cubs fan (though her loyalty was severely challenged when the Cubs traded Mark Grace to the Diamondbacks). She was an extraordinary baker and decorator of wedding cakes who piled up to seven or eight layers on special occasions.Later in life, Stella developed a love of greyhound dog racing, which she and her husband, Rodger, participated in as owners of greyhounds that they raised on their farm in Illinois. Her two best racers, Pepper Ree and Cassman, won several memorials and inaugural races, running primarily out of Orlando, Fla.Memorials to Stella may be made to the Greyhound Pets of America, a national and nonprofit organization, made up solely of volunteers dedicated to finding loving, responsible homes for retired racing greyhounds.

Stella Chenore

September 25, 1914 - August 18, 2008