Carolyn Jean Diller

Princeton - Carolyn Jean Diller, 91, of Princeton passed away on Wednesday, August 13 th , at Allure of Walnut. She was born April 12, 1934, in Princeton to Clifford and Jean (Blackburn) Huffaker. She married William "Bill" Diller on August 14, 1955. Carolyn attended Princeton High School graduating in 1952. After high school, she completed a one-year course in Pediatric Nursing from Augustana Nursery (Chicago) graduating in 1953. She worked at the nursery in Chicago, as well as in private duty care. While raising her children, Diller and her husband owned and operated numerous Princeton businesses, including: the Princeton Telephone Answering Service, Fischer Hosiery, Polly Put the Kettle On at the Dover Homestead Farm, Peterson's Clothing Store and Peterson's One Flight Up, The Main Event (t-shirts and embroidered sweatshirts), and the Windchimer Antique Shop. Known as "the Fudge Lady," Diller and her husband also owned the Covered Bridge Fudge Shop, selling fudge both in Princeton and on the road. They would set up at many county fairs and festivals, and for more than a dozen years operated a stand at the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival in Mansfield, IN. Diller was a lifelong volunteer. She was a Lincoln School room mother and Cub Scout den mother and ran the concession stand for Princeton Youth Baseball and the Bureau County Fair stock car races. She served on the Bureau County Senior Center Board, Bureau County Fair Board, Bureau County Genealogical Board, Bureau County Tourism Board, Princeton Buddy Bags, Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging, and the Bureau County Historical Society Board. She belonged to the DAR and GFWC Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs. She was a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Princeton. Surviving are three children, Thomas (Julie Bogott) Diller of Apopka, FL, Daniel (Kathy Lester) Diller of Falls Church, VA, and Linnea (Gary) Campbell of Princeton; eight grandchildren, Matthew (Michelle Greenlaugh) Diller, Shanna (Drew) Terry, Brooke (Dan) Frantz, Betsy Diller, Mitchell Campbell, Peter Campbell, Tony Diller, and Kate Diller; four great-grandchildren, Tucker Frantz, Lainey Frantz, Rhodes Terry, and Camden Terry; two brothers-in-law, Richard (Emily) Diller of Rockford and Robert (Shar) Diller of Naperville; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years in 2011, her parents, in-laws, Charles and Celia Diller, and three uncles and one aunt, Jack Blackburn, Forrest Huffaker, and Richard (Doris) Huffaker. The family wishes to acknowledge the staff at Greenfield, Patti Briddick, the staff at Allure of Walnut, and Vitas Hospice for the care they provided Carolyn during the last two years. Visitation will be Tuesday, August 26, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Norberg Memorial Home Inc & Monuments. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Princeton. Reverend Jessica Boggs will be officiating. Graveside services to follow at Oakland Cemetery in Princeton. Memorials may be directed to the Evangelical Covenant Church or the Bureau County Historical Society. Online coldolences may be directed to www.norbergfh.com Arrangements by Norberg Memorial Home, Inc. & Monuments.

Carolyn Jean Diller

April 12, 1934 - August 13, 2025