YVONNE "VAN" COENS

Mrs. Yvonne "Van" Coens, 81, 1811 S. 24th, died at 6:31 a.m. Wednesday (March 21, 2007) in Blessing Hospital.

Born December 21, 1925 in Beardstown, IL., Yvonne was the daughter of Harry and Marguerite Vortman Vannier. She married Woodrow "Woody" LeGrand in June of 1949 in Jacksonville, IL. He died in 1975. She then married Frank Coens in October of 1981 in Peoria, IL. He survives.

Yvonne was a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church, the Blessing VIP Auxiliary and a member and current president of the Elks Auxiliary. She enjoyed reading, playing golf and playing euchre.

Mrs. Coens graduated from Our Saviours Hospital in Jacksonville, IL. in 1943. She was employed as a registered nurse at St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson, AZ. and then as the nursing supervisor at St. Mary's Hospital in Quincy, IL. for 25 years until her retirement.

Also surviving are three sons, Mark LeGrand and his wife Madeline of Quincy, IL., Drew LeGrand and his wife Marlene of Maggie Valley, NC., and Rock LeGrand and his wife Linda of Overland Park, KS.; two step sons, Ron Coens of Sunnyvale, CA. and Father Frank Coens, O.F.M. of Nashville, TN.; a step daughter, Mary Ann Sims and her husband Randy of Liberty, IL.; six grandchildren, Karrie LeGrand Griffin and her husband Joey of Charlotte, NC., Kaya and Daria LeGrand, both of Overland Park, KS., Merek and Matt LeGrand, both of Columbia, MO. and Chad LeGrand and his wife Amy of Keokuk, IA.; three step grandchildren, Craig Sims and his wife Angela of Fenton, MO., Darren Sims and his wife Andrea of Liberty, IL. and Lee Ann Sims of Quincy, IL.; several great grandchildren and several step great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband; a brother, Thomas "Tom" Vannier, and an infant sister, Elizabeth J. Vannier.

Funeral services will be held Saturday morning at 9:30 in the Zehender Robinson Stormer Cookson Funeral Home and at 10:00 in St. Peter's Catholic Church celebrated by Rev. Frank Coens, O.F.M and co-celebrated by Rev. Tom Donovan. Burial will be in Greenmount Cemetery.

Visitation will be held Friday evening from 4:00 until 7:00 at the funeral home with a christian wake service at 7:00.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to American Heart Association or St. Peter's Church.