Obituaries

November 23, 1914 to August 11, 2015

MEDARYVILLE - Vivian LaVerne (Fogle) Siemens Brooks, age 100, of Francesville, died Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Parkview Haven Retirement Home, Francesville.

She was born Nov. 23, 1914 to the late George Washington Fogle and Edna (Woosley) Fogle in the Danvers, Ill. area. 

She attended one year in a public school before attending the Illinois School for the Deaf (ISD) Jacksonville. She became the second Homecoming Queen in 1934, graduating in 1935.

The following information was taken from the ISD School Graduation Book: “I hate nobody: I am in charity with the World.” Vivian, the ISD little “Blondie” was always happy and a busy girl. She was very successful in cooking and sewing. She made a lovely dress that was chosen to be taken to the Chicago World’s Fair, in which her family received $100. She was athletically successful in horseshoe pitching, swimming, life-saving, baseball, volleyball, basketball, cage ball and soccer. She was a strong swimmer and once saved the life of a drowning girl. Vivian received a bronze medal from the Girl Scouts Association in recognition of being an outstanding Girl Scout, which she continued to hold that medal dear to her heart throughout her life. She was a member of the clubs at ISD and was an officer in the Dramatic Club, the M.I.S. and Girls’ Athletic Association. She was a participant in the following plays: The Princess, Elmer, Beauty Culture of 1940, King Midas and the Christmas Carol. Her hobby was doing fancywork.

She married Hermann Siemens on Nov. 15, 1946, who passed away Nov. 19, 1952. The couple had one daughter, Aileen Edna (Siemens) Steele (husband Max) and grandson Bryan Steele. She was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Reagan Leigh Steele on May 21, 2013, and has one surviving great-granddaughter, Alexandra Oriana Deryn, a student at West Lafayette High School. She is also survived by her brother Weldon Fogle of Carlock, IL.

She participated in the Medaryville High School PTA, sewing costumes for the marching band twirlers and her daughter, Aileen, as drum major, along with sewing homemade clothes, making wonderful quilts, crocheting, gardening, canning and preserving. She was always available to help with the former Medaryville Potato Fest Celebration and helping with Lion’s Club dinners.She kept busy being a farm wife, and working as a seamstress in the Medaryville Garment Factory. She was a member of the Medaryville St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Ladies Aid and the Pulaski Co. Aim Hi Home Extension Club. Vivian worked a short time milking cows and for several years, raising layer chickens.

She married Alfred Brooks on Nov. 19, 1966. He died March 14, 1986. A widow for the second time, she retired but continued to do quilting, gardening and preserving her produce along with becoming a grandma. Most recently she became a resident of Parkview Haven Retirement Facility in Francesville, where she enjoyed the musical entertainment, the social activities, including participating in the bell chior and Bingo. She loved receiving cards and watching TV18 to see if her great-granddaughter, Alex, was caught on camera as a West Lafayette High School athlete. She enjoyed visiting with Regal, the family’s yellow lab. She would also inquire about the three family kitty siblings: Snowball, Orange Blossom and Little Dude.

She was also preceded in death by:

Lyle Fogle, Brother
Marion Fogle, Brother
Mona Meinders, Sister
Wilma Murphy, Sister

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m., Friday, at Frain Mortuary Querry-Ulbricht Chapel, Medaryville. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 15, at the funeral home with Pastor Charles Blakey officiating. Burial will be at White Post Cemetery, Medaryville.

Memorial donations may be given to Alexandra O. Deryn Education Fund, c/o Lakes Federal Credit Union, Monticello.