Lois Anzalone

Lois Anzalone was one of a kind. She was a loving wife, mom, Granny, great-Granny, sister and friend, and a true spitfire who was never afraid to speak her mind. If you knew Lois, you knew you were never quite sure what was going to come out of her mouth next.

Lois was born to the late Ronald "Joe" and Carol Heberling on January 28, 1957. She was the sister of Joellen and Ann, making her the middle child—and undoubtedly the ornery one! She grew up to be a woman with a big personality, a quick wit, and a way of making sure nobody ever forgot her. Lois grew up in Alton Illinois .

Later in life she moved to Missouri where she met Tony, her husband and the love of her life. Their love was a special part of her story, and she loved him more than words could ever express. Tony will miss warming up her coffee that just sat there getting cold without her even taking one drink, and taking care of his beautiful girl.

Lois retired from her career as a legal secretary at Stone Leyton and Gershman law office, but retirement certainly didn't mean slowing down. Lois had places to go, people to see, bingo cards to play, and lottery tickets to scratch! If there was bingo happening, Lois sure was there. If there was a casino nearby, you could bet she would find it. And heaven forbid the casino was giving away a FREE GIFT!

It didn't matter what the gift was; she was going to be there to collect it. And when the casino gave her a free $20 to spend on the slots, she told us she was going to go play her free $20 You can bet she wasn't about to pass that up! Free gifts and free money to gamble with? Now that was Lois's kind of deal! She knew how to make the most of a good opportunity, and the casino better believe she was showing up!

Mind you we all know NOTHING is free and what casino gives away money??? We can not forget how much she liked shopping, let's just say she's still getting deliveries from Temu... Some of us however won't mention having to return items with her (it was sometimes quite embarrassing).

Let's not think about challenging Lois to a card game or a game at a wedding or bridal shower. She was going to win, one way or another. The family always suspected she cheated at some of those games, don't accuse her of cheating out loud because you'd get a "really" I am sure you all that know, can hear that "really" now. Lois was very outspoken, quick-witted, and never one to sugarcoat things, sometimes that could get her into a bit of trouble.

Lois leaves behind her beloved husband, Tony; her only daughter, Mandi (Chad); and her stepson, TJ (Sam). She was a proud Granny to Chelsea (Charles), Anthony (Molly), Nick (Ellery), Evan (Bailey), Kyler, and Krispen, and a loving great-Granny to Braden, Lydia, Jericho, Jaylynn, Anthony, Riley, Kinley, and Blakley.

She loved her grandchildren dearly, even if a few of them gave her a run for her money. Lois is also survived by her loving sisters, Joellen (Kent) Heinke and Ann (Bill) Whaley and several nieces and nephews.

Lois also leaves behind countless friends who became family over the years. Among them was Tina, her lifelong friend, who was more like a sister and lovingly called her "Lolo." Their friendship came with decades of memories, laughter, and, of course, those unforgettable kinky curl perms her sister Joellen graciously gave them.

Ruth held a very special place in Lois's life. Ruth lovingly called Lois her "Spitfire," and Lois called Ruth her "BFF." Ruth described Lois as the strongest, toughest little woman she has ever met. Their friendship was filled with love, laughter, and a bond that will always be treasured. Rae, her neighbor and card buddy, was another special friend who shared time, games, and memories with Lois.

Then there was Sandy and Rosie her best bingo buddy friends. When Lois got sick and couldn't drive Sandy would come and pick her up to take her to bingo. Rosie lovingly called Lois her "white daughter," while Lois called Rosie her "black momma." Their friendship was another special bond filled with love, laughter, and memories that will never be forgotten. Rosie is remembered with love as well.

There are so many stories about Lois that we could never fit them all into one obituary. One of our favorites comes from the family group chat, affectionately known as the "Family Feud Chat." Lois never did upgrade to an Apple product, meaning an iPhone, and she had her own very special way of reacting to pictures and videos.

While everyone else simply tapped an emoji, Lois would type out, word for word, "LOVED AN IMAGE" or "LOVED A VIDEO." We always wondered if she really typed those words out every single time, so Mandi decided to test it on Lois's phone during her final week. Sure enough, there it was! She really was typing it out! We can only imagine how many extra seconds she spent doing that when an emoji would have done the job. But that was Lois. She did things her way, and we wouldn't change that about her.

Our family could go on forever sharing stories, funny moments, and memories of Lois. We know there are so many more stories from her childhood and throughout her life that haven't been mentioned here. If we left something out, please know it isn't because it wasn't important. One obituary could never hold a lifetime of memories, and Lois certainly gave us a lifetime's worth.

Earlier this year, our family suffered the heartbreaking loss of her beloved grandson, Anthony, who passed away in July. We find comfort in believing that Jesus called Anthony home before Lois so he could be there to welcome her and take care of her in Heaven. We picture them together again with Jesus, surrounded by peace, love, and a reunion that our hearts can only imagine.

Lois will be deeply missed by her husband Tony, family, friends, by her bingo buddies, by everyone who shared a laugh with her, and by anyone who ever heard her say "REALLY?" in that unmistakable way. The family chat will never be quite the same without her "LOVED AN IMAGE OR VIDEO" messages, and there will forever be an empty seat at the bingo table.

Memorial Service

A memorial for Lois will be held on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Marks Mortuary in Wood River, Illinois. The memorial gathering will begin at 1:00 p.m., with services at 2:00 p.m. A luncheon will follow the service.

A special thank you to Ann and Chelsea for helping take care of her the last several months, Jan for taking her back and forth to tons of Dr appointments the last couple years and St. Croix Hospice for their exceptional care.

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lois (Hebering) Anzalone, please visit our floral store.

Services
Memorial Service
Sunday October 25, 2026 2:00 PM
Marks Mortuary (Wood River, Illinois)
Wood River, Illinois