Priscilla "Nellie" Jean Freeze, 65, of Leaf River passed away on Sunday, May 27, 2012 at Serenity Hospice and Home in Oregon, IL after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Born April 26, 1947 in Princeton, IL, the daughter of Milton and Eleanor (Hammerle) Burkey. She graduated from Leaf River High School in 1965 and went on to marry Lyle Freeze on April 19, 1969 in Leaf River. She was remembered most as a cook in the Leaf River/Forrestville Valley School District from 1992-2002 but also worked in the deli at Felker/Snyder Grocery in Byron, IL from 2003-2004. After retiring, she published her first cookbook in 2010 “Homemade with Love, Down Memory Lane”.

She is survived by her husband, Lyle; sons, Michael (Elizabeth) and their children, Allura and Mason, of Panama City, FL and Matthew (Stephanie) and their children, Colton and Emma, of Mount Morris, IL; and three sisters, Virginia (Lane) McMillion of Sycamore, IL, Jackie Buse of Augusta, WI, and Elizabeth (Henry) Rosenberger of Waverly, IL. Predeceased by her parents and brother-in-law, Jim Buse.

Memorial service will be at 6:00pm on Thursday, May 31, 2012 in Leaf River Baptist Church, 6941 North Mount Morris Road, Leaf River, with Pastor Randy Newton officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the family for a fund to be established at a later date. Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory, 4311 N. Mulford, Rockford, is honored to have assisted the family. For online condolences, visit honquestfh.com.