Nelda Elizabeth Dalluge Obituary (1932 - 2021)

Nelda Elizabeth Dalluge, nee May, of Blue Mound, Illinois, passed away on June 23, 2021, after battling acute myeloid leukemia for the past few months. Born on August 26, 1932, to John and Carrie May in Brownstown, Illinois, her family moved to Blue Mound when Nelda was in grade school. There she met and married the love of her life, William H. (Whomp) Dalluge, Jr. They were married for almost 71years before Whomp passed in 2019, and together they raised three children, were active in numerous church and community activities, and traveled the country and the world together. Nelda attended Millikin University and Eastern Illinois University earning both a bachelor's and master's degree in education. For 26 years she was a junior high teacher in the Blue Mound school system. She was passionate about her students, remembering each and every class, and even years later often running into students who had fond memories of their time in her class. You did not get out of Mrs. Dalluge's social studies class without a trip to the state capital and an appreciation of Illinois history. She was also passionate about her fellow teachers for whom she worked tirelessly to ensure fair pay and good working conditions as their union president. Nelda was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church of Blue Mound and a member of the First Baptist Church of Stonington, volunteering for numerous church activities and organizations throughout her life and contributing to many Christian causes over the years. Nelda was Bill's valuable right hand woman for 26 years running the Blue Mound Interchurch Council Food Pantry. She was an accomplished seamstress and an excellent musician, playing both the piano and the organ. And Nelda had a lifelong love of flowers and gardening and often remarked how she never felt better than when she had her hands in the dirt tending to her plants. In 2001 Nelda and Bill moved into their dream home, affectionately called UPSland, where for the next 20 years she hosted literally hundreds of guests, both family and friends, for overnight visits, dinners and luncheons. Whether serving 4 or 44 Nelda always managed to provide a feast for whomever entered her home. No one went away hungry. Besides her husband William, Nelda was predeceased by her daughter Debra, her mother and father John and Carrie May, and her sisters Lois Turner Jenkins and Hazel Fulsome, and her mother and father-in-law William Dalluge Sr. and Clessie Dalluge along with numerous brothers and sisters in law, nieces and nephews. She leaves behind daughter Cheryl Reedy of New Fairfield, CT, and son Thomas Dalluge (Martha) of Traverse City, MI, grandchildren Jason Reedy, Emily Reedy, Shawn Jenkins (Nicole), Brian Dalluge (Susanna Miesel), Caroline Dalluge and Matthew Dalluge, great grandchildren Brittany Jenkins (Mark Thigpen), Michael Jenkins and Abigayle Jenkins, great great grandson Ambrose Thigpen, sister-in-law Gladys True, brother-in-law Glen Dalluge (Arlone), and numerous nieces and nephews. The family wishes to acknowledge beloved neighbors Tom and Diana Ritter and family for all the care, love, friendship, and assistance they provided over the last twenty years to both Nelda and Whomp, allowing them to remain independent and living at home. A celebration of Nelda's life will be held on Saturday, June 26, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. with visitation starting an hour before at 1:00 p.m. at the Dawson & Wikoff Funeral Home, 566 North Railroad Avenue, Blue Mound, Illinois 62513. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to the Mully Children's Family USA at https://mcfus.org/donate/