Sara Hermanson Obituary

Sarah Jo Hermanson

Sarah Jo Hermanson, age 69, longtime resident of Elmhurst, passed away on February 5, 2016. Sarah Jo struggled with Parkinson's disease and Multiple System Atrophy. This eventually made even the simplest tasks difficult or impossible for her to do.

She is survived by her husband of 38 years, James Mowers. She is also survived by her sister, Kristine; and brother-in-law, David Weber; niece, Margaret Weber (husband Justin Bangs); nephew, Andrew Weber (wife Margaret Lieker Weber); brother-in-law, Wesley Earl Moore; nieces, Kari Lynne Moore and Melissa Ann Moore.

She was preceded by her parents, Howard and Jane Hermanson; and sister-in-law, Bonnie Moore.

Since early childhood, Sarah Jo had a great love of art. Her greater artistic focus was in ceramics of all forms and jewelry making. She had a life-long love of drawing, painting and photography. She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a BA, MA and MFA degrees in Ceramics. Her creativity with pottery could range from rugged and sculptural with seemingly raw edges to smooth and functional or even whimsical. Her artistic skills expanded to include jewelry making and photography. She was a participant in numerous juried art fairs and exhibitions. Besides her work as an artist, she taught at Loyola University, and for over 35 years at the College of DuPage. While stressing the basic fundamentals of how good art is constructed, she tried to encourage her students to explore their own way in art.

Sarah Jo had a great love of gardening. She enjoyed that there was something in bloom from early spring when snows were still on the ground, until late fall, when frost puts an end to that year's flowers.

A memorial will be held on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 10:30 AM at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 235 S. Kenilworth Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018, (800) 457-6676 or to ClaySpace Ceramics Arts Center, 740 Front St. Lisle, IL 60532 (6300 393-2529 or to the First Congregational Church endowment Fund 235 S. Kenilworth Ave. Elmhurst, IL 60126 (630) 832-2580.