Body found during river search for missing Tazewell County woman

Posted on November 24, 2018
Lois Fidler
(From Missing Person Awareness Network Facebook Page)

 

By Howard Packowitz

TAZEWELL COUNTY – A body pulled from the Illinois River on Saturday may be that of a rural Manito woman who’s been missing since February.

Lois Fidler, 69, was last seen February 20 leaving her house and driving a green 2003 Jeep Liberty.

Using sonar equipment, authorities said they discovered the vehicle about 20 feet from shore, south of Copper Creek Road.

The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department and the coroner’s office are trying to identify the dead woman who was found inside the submerged Jeep.

The sheriff’s department said Fon du lac Park Police and Illinois Conservation Police aided the search.

The Jeep and the woman’s body were pulled from the river about noon on Saturday.

Police said they’ll release more information later.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

 

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…