Anna C. "Chris" Welander, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 12, 2026 surrounded by her family, at the age of 84.

She was born August 18th, 1941 in Racine, WI to Gerhard (Gary) and Dorothy Bakke. From Racine, she moved to West Chicago where she met her lifelong friend, Carole Weigand. After graduating in 1959, her family moved to Sycamore where she met and then married John Welander at Salem Lutheran Church in 1962. She worked at the Henderson's department store in downtown Sycamore for many years as a sales associate and then retired to spend time with her family and her crafts.

Chris was known for her love of quilting and sewing, completing many projects for those she loved and donating her skills, time, and materials for others. She cherished the time spent with her beloved dogs throughout her life, and even came to love a cat. She knew how to tell a good story and enjoyed laughing with family and friends. Her gardens were filled with flowers and her home with good memories. In retirement, she embraced the things she loved most. An avid quilter, she became involved with Paper Pieces, which allowed her to travel to quilt shows and share her passion with others. She also treasured her water aerobics classes at the YMCA, where her focus was more on the friendships she had made than the exercise. She was an active member of Salem Lutheran Church, participating in the handbell choir and finding special joy in serving on the Puppet Praise Team.

Chris is survived by her three children; Steve (Melita), Rob (Ronda) and Beth; her six grandchildren, Jacob (Larissa), Ellen (Jon), Athena, Grace, Matt, and Camden; her great grandchild, Lenna; and her favorite dog, Axl.

She was preceded in death by her husband John, her sister Linda, and her parents Gary and Dorothy.

Her Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 17th from 1:00-2:00 PM at Salem Lutheran Church, 1145 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore, IL.  A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 PM and a reception will follow with light refreshments at the Church hall. The family will hold a private burial service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made for the Puppet Praise Team in care of Salem Lutheran Church.

To sign the online guest book, please go to www.butalafuneralhomes.com