In Memory

Caroline Scott (Gherardini)

Caroline GHERARDINI

Caroline Anne Gherardini

SPRINGFIELD - Caroline Anne Gherardini (née Scott) of Springfield, 69, died at the St. John's Hospice on Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Caroline was born January 13, 1944, in Rockford, Ill., to Russell Frederick Scott and June Charlotte Nystrom Scott (later Kohlhagen). She married Gerald Gherardini on January 18, 1969, in Rockford.

She is survived by her husband and three brothers, Charles R. Scott (Patricia) of Crossville, Tenn.; Daniel T. Scott (Linda) of Gulf Shores, Ala.; and William J. Scott (Wendy) of Davis, Ill. Also surviving are three nephews and three nieces, Michelle Rieman (Mike) of Springfield, Mark Scott (Pat) of Chatham, Ill., Andrew Scott (Stacie) of Norwich, Conn., Kristanna Richardson (Eric) of Paris, France, Emily Scott of Albion, Calif., and Russell Scott of Chicago. There are also five great nephews, Kieran and Draven Rieman, Michael Scott, and Ezra and Josiah Richardson.

Caroline was graduated from Auburn High School in Rockford in 1962 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications in 1967 at the University of Illinois in Urbana. She also attended the University of Grenoble, France, in the Spring of 1966.

In 1968 she was a reporter at the Morning Mail and Loves Park Post, Loves Park, Ill.; and in 1969 she became a reporter and the state editor at The Champaign-Urbana News Gazette.

In 1970 Caroline was the assistant public information officer at Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention in Springfield. She was Public Information Coordinator, Lincoln Land Community College, 1971-73 and in 1974 she became the news editor of Illinois Issues, published by (then) Sangamon State University. In 1977 she became editor of Illinois Issues and many related university publications until her retirement in 1994.

She was a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, and a member of the Illinois State Bar Journal editorial board from 1985-93.

In 1978 Caroline was elected treasurer of Leland Grove, Ill., for one term.

After her retirement in 1994, she became an avid master gardener. She served as chairman of the Herb Committee and as a member of several others, including the statewide Illinois Master Gardener Advisory committee for six years. She received an Outstanding Master Gardener award in 2000, the Dick Lewis Memorial Award in 2001 and the Illinois Sustained Excellence Master Gardener Award in 2003.

Caroline was a happy person and she will be missed. Toujours gai, Caroline, toujours gai. http://www.well.com/user/ari/archy/the.song.of.mehitabel.html

For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Hospice, 800 East Carpenter Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701.

Private family services were held. Cremation rites were accorded by Cremation Services of Central Illinois, Chatham. Staab Polk Memorial Home, Chatham, www.staabpolk.com is serving the Gherardini family.