Adeline W. Tunison

Adeline Wiegel (Tunison) was born on September 9, 1932, to Friederich and Sophia Wiegel. She was the third child and first daughter in the Wiegel family.

Adeline had two older brothers, Friederich and Christ, and six younger siblings: David, MaryAnn, Gilbert, Darlene, Karin, and Sharon.

The Wiegel family lived in Chicago on Keating Avenue, an area now occupied by the west-bound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway.

Adeline attended Carl Schurz High School in Chicago and graduated in 1951. During her years at Schurz she was involved in the theater department (costume design), the Messiah Easter program, the Checkers Club, the 4A Girls Club, the Office Girls Club (where she held a part-time position as a staff office clerk in her senior year), tours, and the Style and Personality groups. She also played volleyball during her junior and senior years. Outside of school, Adeline loved to roller-skate; she spent many Saturdays at the HUB and Axle Roller Rink, where she taught roller dancing to young skaters.

Adeline married Edmund Sandberg Tunison Jr. in Chicago on March 1, 1952.

Shortly after their marriage, Edmund was drafted from the National Guard into the United States Army (despite his occupational deferment and USNG status). The deployment order read “Re-deployed.” As is typical in the military, he had no choice in the matter. Edmund served at Camp McCoy, Camp Atterbury, and finally at Fort Hood near Waco, Texas, where he trained new recruits for combat in Korea. Adeline, with her first son Michael, moved to Texas for the duration of Edmund’s deployment. Their second son, Edmund Donald, was born at the Fort Hood base hospital.

Adeline served as the “sanctuarian” for the GI neighborhood in Texas—supporting and defending the wives and children of service members—because she was the only woman in the area with a trained German Shepherd dog and a shotgun to ward off unwelcome predators.

When Edmund’s deployment ended, he was honorably discharged and the family of four returned to their home in Schiller Park, Illinois.

Adeline and Edmund had five children together: Michael, Edmund, Daniel, Linda, and Thomas.

Adeline was a faithful wife, homemaker, and caring mother; a Cub Scout den mother; a chauffeur for her children; a dutiful daughter to her mother Sophie; and she sold Tupperware in her spare time.

She wore many other hats throughout her life. After her children were all in school, she re-entered the workforce as a machine operator and manufacturing technician at Illinois Broach in Schiller Park. Subsequent positions included clerical and inventory-control supervisor at Bee-Line Fashions in Bensenville, quality-control supervisor at Zenith Radio Corp. (Chicago and Elk Grove Village), housekeeping manager at Nordic Hills Country Club & Resort, and finally account manager for Xerox Corp., where she worked until mandatory retirement on her 70th birthday. While at Xerox she earned numerous performance awards, including a 1987 “Iron-Man” trophy for creating a complex, highly successful sales presentation for a Chicago-based trade show.

Adeline was an artist at heart. She studied graphic art and painting at the Adele Academy of Art. Working in a variety of media, she found her calling in oils. Her quick wit and eye for detail shone through her pencil and ink caricatures, signs, banners, and handmade greeting cards, which were treasured by friends and colleagues.

In her mid-80s Adeline suffered a stroke that significantly reduced mobility and fine motor function on her right side. Fortunately she was left-handed, so she was able to regain considerable function. After moving out of the family home in late 2020 (post-COVID), she settled into a more relaxed lifestyle, first at Lake Barrington Woods and most recently at The Grand Victorian assisted living community.

Over the past three years she was hospitalized several times for respiratory distress and cardiac related issues, yet each time she recovered with remarkable resilience. She lost her final battle on December 13, 2025, to aggressive pneumonia, passing peacefully with her son Michael at her side.

Adeline was preceded in death by her parents, Friederich and Sophia Wiegel; her brothers Friederich, Christ, David, and Gilbert; her sister MaryAnn; her daughter Linda; and her nephew Brian.

She is survived by three wonderful sisters: Darlene (Walter), Karin (Gerald), and Sharon. 
Children (4) – Michael (Pam), Edmund (Karen), Daniel (Jane), and Thomas (Jane)

Grandchildren (9) – Sara, William, Linda (Mark), Donald (Heather), Brian (Alicia), Lauren, Daniel Jr., David (Annie), and Erin

Great-grandchildren (10) – Korbin, Caroline, Paige, Lyric, Daniel, Emilee, Eliana, Ethan, Brielle, and Samantha

Nieces (16) – Laurey, Jeanette, Audrey, Robin, Anna, Cindy, Susan, Debbie, Kimberly, Tamera, Karyn, Renee, Jodi, Christine, Kelly, and Jane

Nephews (5) – Randall, Fred, Terrance, Jeffrey, William, and Richard

Adeline loved life, painting, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and cared deeply for her extended family.

We will remember Adeline for her strength, her faith, the faces of her family, the collection of artwork she leaves behind, the memories, photos, and stories of the days we talked, joked, ate, drank, laughed, cried, and prayed together.

Friends are welcome to visit with Adeline's family on Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the memorial service at 3:00 p.m. at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory, 419 E Terra Cotta Ave (Rt. 176) Crystal Lake. 

You are loved.
You will be missed.
You will be remembered.
May you rest in peace in the house of the Lord.