Doris Lorenzen Westfall

Doris Lorenzen Westfall passed away on June 28, 2015. She was 96 years old. Doris was born in Foosland, Illinois on November 27, 1918, the first child of John F. and Emma (Sandbrink) Lorenzen. She was quickly followed by Eleanor (Adams), Marilyn (Bess), Emma "Betty" (Wendt), John T. "Sonny" and David. She always said she was her father's first son - driving a team of horses to help with the daily farm work. Doris was a 1942 graduate of St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in Danville. In addition to her care-giving skills as a nurse, she was profoundly committed to preserving the native environment she knew as a young child and lifelong resident of central Illinois. Doris committed hundreds of hours of her time and enlisted many friends (including the nuns at St. Elizabeth in their habits) to save special places such as Portland Arch in Indiana from development and to restore native prairies; in particular the prairie at Forest Glen County Preserve which bears her name. At the dedication of the Doris Lorenzen Westfall Prairie Restoration at Forest Glen in 1976, the Vermilion County Audubon Society concluded its commemoration with the following remarks - "A prairie is an investment in eternity." In 1990, Doris was named the Conservationist of the Year by the Illinois Wildlife Federation and received the National Chevron Conservation Award which was presented in Washington, DC. Doris was predeceased by her husband Robert E. "Bob" Westfall in 2001. She is survived by her son Michael (Dona) and her daughter Catherine Jane Wilkinson (John Rader), and her four grandchildren Michelle Hanson (Marvin), Bonner Wilkinson (Tina), Dennis Westfall (Kendra), and Eric Westfall (Ginger). She is also survived by her great grandchildren Kent and Travis Hanson, Ashley and Nicole Wilkinson, and Bailey and Benjamin Westfall. She is also survived by her sisters and brother David, and her many nieces, nephews and their families whom she treasured. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, July 3, 2015 at 11:00 am at Trinity Lutheran Church. The family will be receiving friends on Thursday, July 2nd from 4:00 - 7:00 pm at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center, and at Trinity Lutheran Church at 10:00 am Friday. Interment will be at Hoult Cemetery in Chrisman, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Doris' memory may be given to Forest Glen County Preserve Prairie Restoration Project or Trinity Lutheran Church. Please join Doris' family in sharing photos, videos and memories on her tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com

Visitation Jul 2, 2015 Thursday, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center 3940 N. Vermilion Street Danville, IL 61834 Visitation Jul 3, 2015 Friday, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Trinity Lutheran Church Danville, il 61832 Service Jul 3, 2015 Friday, 11:00 AM Trinity Lutheran Church Danville, il 61832 Final Resting Place Hoult Cemetery Chrisman, IL