Willadene Kingery

Willadene Yvonne Kingery (nee Weaver) passed away peacefully, in her Las Vegas, NV home, in the early hours of Thursday June 19, 2025, after a brief illness. She was born in Canton, IL, the youngest of fourteen children, to Herman and Bertha Mae (Harris) Weaver, on December 5, 1940.

After a whirlwind romance, during her senior year of high school, Willadene (or Willy or Willa, as many knew her) married Jack(ie) Kingery, who worked in his uncle's hardware store, in Lewiston, IL. Their intimate wedding was held at her brother Carroll's home.

Within a couple of years, Willadene and Jack relocated to Joliet, IL, where they lived in the area for more than thirty years. After difficulty conceiving, they were fortunate to adopt their only child, James, in 1971.

In 1989, as James went off to college, Willadene and Jack semi-retired to Louisiana, MO, where they lived for over thirty-three years. Tired of winter weather and eager to spend their remaining years with their son, they relocated to Las Vegas, NV, in 2022.

During her lifetime, Willadene worked or volunteered in several fields, including as a presser for Hart, Schaffner & Marx; a child activities coordinator for the YMCA; a hotel housekeeper; a crisis line phone counselor; and as a home health care provider. She also enjoyed tending to the children in the nursery, during church services.

However, her favorite "jobs", by far, were as a supportive and devoted wife and mother. Willadene could always be counted on for a clean, comfortable, welcoming home. Though not so much an experimenter, in the kitchen, she kept a library of recipes and cookbooks. In the early 1970s, Willadene took great joy in seeing Jack off to work, then serving as James' pre-school educator, encouraging him to read, count, and write, nearly from the time he could walk and talk. Through his formative years and as an adult, she was always the first to champion his life and endeavors, even while lamenting his relocation, across the country.

Willadene will always be remembered for her bright blue eyes, her willingness to help others, her love of dogs (most animals, really), her enthusiasm for playing bingo, and maybe, just maybe, her occasional fun-troublemaking skills, among so many other things.

Willadene is preceded in passing by her parents and all thirteen siblings. She is survived and dearly missed by her husband of sixty-seven years and her son, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and in-laws. Cremation has been arranged and a celebration of life will be scheduled, at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations, in her name, to Courtroom Critters (https://www.courtroomcritters.org) are appreciated and will be matched, up to $1,500.