Ms. Mildred Suerrette Bavery, age 81, of LaHarpe, Illinois, passed away at 7:55 p.m. Tuesday October 25, 2016 at Oak Lane Nursing & Rehab in Stronghurst. She was born August 3, 1935 near Basco, Illinois, the daughter of Floyd and Charlotte Bolton Bavery.

Mildred attended grade school in Basco and was a 1953 graduate of Warsaw High School. She attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, and received her Bachelor and Masters degrees in education. Mildred taught school for 36 years in the LaHarpe area with stops in Rossville, Terre Haute, and LaHarpe. After her retirement, she was a substitute teacher in the LaHarpe district for 10 years.
Mildred loved to do needlework and was an avid quilter. She also enjoyed traveling with her sister, and had driven in all 50 states of the U.S.A. She enjoyed being an election judge, serving on the Library Board, and working as a part of the Western Illinois Threshers and Webster Quilters. She was proud to be a Die Hard Cub Fan.

Survivors include one brother, William (Kathryn) Bavery of Stronghurst, two nieces, Suerrette (Wayne) Franck of Aledo, IL, Alisa (Tom) Skinner of New Lenox, IL, two nephews, Floyd Bavery of Gladstone, IL, Edward Bavery of MN, four great nephews, Brad Bavery of Gladstone, Walt and Will Franck of Aledo, Tyler Skinner of New Lenox, and two great nieces, Erin (Stephen) Cullen of Iowa City, IA and Andrea Skinner of New Lenox. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Edward and Edgar Bavery, and her sister, Ruby Bavery.

The funeral service for Ms. Bavery will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday October 29, 2016 at Banks & Beals Funeral Home in LaHarpe, with Mark Hanson officiating. Friends may call from 3:00 until 8:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. The family will receive friends from 9:00 a.m. until time of services Saturday at Banks & Beals. Burial will be in the West Cemetery, near Basco, Illinois. Memorials have been established for the Blandinsville Hire Library and Oakwood Estates Assisted Living Center in Stronghurst.