Lillian Salzman

Lillian Stearman Salzman, 88, formerly of Kankakee and Peotone, went to be with her Lord peacefully on Monday, October 5, 2009, at the Birmingham, AL home of her daughter, Lydia Thompson.Lilliam was born September 10, 1921 in Kankakee IL. to Albert and Martha (Johnson) Stearman. She was a graduate of Kankakee High School in 1939 and completed nurse's training at St. Mary's School of Nursing in 1942. She immediately enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps and served with the 279th Station Hospital and the 135th Field Hospital in England during and after the Normandy invasion in 1944. Her unit was under occasional alerts from Nazi air raids. She completed her military service in 1945 with the rank of First Lieutenant and received a European-African-Middle Campaign Medal and a World War II Victory Medal.In 1946, Lillian married William R. Salzman of Manteno. They lived on their family farm in Peotone, Illinois. She was a long-time member of Immanuel Baptist Church of Kankakee.Lillian was preceded in death by her husband, William, in 2001, brother Glenn Stearman, and infant granddaughter Amanda Salzman.She is survived by her five children: Janis Salzman of Schaumburg, IL., Allen Salzman of Oak Park, IL, Roger [Renee] Salzman of Peotone, IL, Laura Salzman of Birmingham, Al, and Lydia [Wayne] Thompson of Birmingham, AL. She is also survived by her sister, Barbara [Monte] Burnham of Baudette, MN.Her grandchildren are George Salzman, Harrison Salzman, Henry Salzman, Melanie [Derek] O'Sullivan, Joshua Mendoza, Erin Salzman, and Hannah Thompson. She has one great-grandson Brian O'Sullivan.Although legally blind, she was an avid reader of books on tape and kept up with current events and politics on the national and international scene. She maintained an interest in medicine throughout her life.The family wishes to thank Dr. Donna Bearden and the staff at Evercare Hospice, Birmingham, Alabama; Mrs. Donna Nemeth, LPN, and Miss Vanessa Gutierrez, caregiver, for the compassionate and loving care given our family in her final days.