Deaths

Death notices for the far Stateline: Oct. 27, 2025

We remember those who are no longer with us in Rockton, Roscoe, and South Beloit.

Michael McGinnis

Oct 27, 2025 — 2 min read

Barbara McLeod, Ralph Pungercar, Stephen Luczak, Gary Skirtich

With sadness, we announce the following deaths for Rockton, Roscoe, and South Beloit in recent weeks:

Oct. 5, 2025:
Barbara McLeod, 71, Roscoe
After high school, she began working for Motorola and retired after 37 years. She wasn’t just a mother to her own children; she had an open-door policy for her children’s friends and anyone in need. She became, in many ways, the “neighborhood mom.”

Oct. 19, 2025:
Stephen A. Luczak, 66, Rockton
Before opening Advantage Auto Sales and Imports, he dabbled in the beer industry, owned a sub shop, and worked as a salesman in the automation industry. He was a true-blue Chicagoan who loved to show his family around town, though he was born in Killeen, Texas.

Oct. 20, 2025:
Gary M. Skirtich, 73, Rockton
With a bachelor of science in industrial technology from Illinois State University, he became an highly qualified manufacturing engineer. He was a simple man who enjoyed a good meal and watching the Chicago Bears from his recliner.

Ralph R. Pungercar, 89, Rockton
A successful electrical engineer, he was a man of great humility, always ready to lend a helping hand and never one to boast about his accomplishments. His life reflected his dedication to family and faith, his love for golf, and his humble, compassionate nature.