John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneDonna Peek holds a photograph of herself, from left, her mother Jacklyn Klosa and her sister Melissa, which Peek found amid the debris at her mother's house in Fairdale on April 11, 2015. A tornado caused major damage to most of the town April 9, killing two people, including Jacklyn Klosa.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneMembers of the Kirkland Fire Department search the city of Fairdale on April 10, 2015, the day after a tornado ripped through the city.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneSevere damage awaits residents as they are allowed back into their homes to search for items in Fairdale on April 11, 2015.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneEmergency crews said every home in Fairdale was affected by Thursday night's severe storm, which produced at least two tornadoes in north central Illinois.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneDeb Johnson searches for her purse in what used to be her apartment living room in Fairdale on April 11, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA boat sits in the middle of what used to be a business building on Highway 72 in Fairdale on April 10, 2015, after a tornado destroyed much of the town the previous night.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA storage unit lies on its side off Highway 72 after a tornado struck Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFirefighters tie a U.S. flag to a fallen tree limb at dawn April 10, 2015, after a tornado destroyed much of the town of Fairdale the night before.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneMounds of debris await residents as they are allowed back into their homes to search for items in Fairdale on April 11, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneDonna Peek wipes away tears while talking about her mother, Jacklyn Klosa, as she searches for items at what was her mother's home in Fairdale on April 10, 2015. Klosa was one of two people killed during the tornado.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneCleanup continues April 12, 2015, from tornado damage in Fairdale.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA view from the second floor of a building shows the level of tornado damage to Fairdale on April 11, 2015.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneMembers of the Kirkland Fire Department search a home in Fairdale on April 10, 2015, after it was destroyed by a tornado the night before.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneOfficials and residents walk along a street after a tornado struck Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
Chuck Berman, Chicago TribuneHeavy rain comes down on Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park as a morning thunderstorm rolls through the area April 9, 2015.
Michael Tercha, Chicago TribuneCommuters make their way through the rain early April 9, 2015, at Clinton and Adams streets in Chicago.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneKevin Johnson finds a pocket watch given to him by his grandfather while searching for items in what used to be his apartment living room in Fairdale on April 11, 2015. Johnson and his wife, Deb, had their wedding reception in the same building 40 years ago, when the structure was used as a social club.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneA Fairdale sign sits torn from the ground April 10, 2015, after a tornado ripped through the north central Illinois area the night before.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneLaw enforcement and fire officials address reporters during a news conference in Fairdale on April 10, 2015, after a tornado destroyed much of the town the previous night.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneA member of the Kirkland Fire Department finishes searching a home in Fairdale on April 10, 2015, the day after it was destroyed by a tornado.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA woman looks through papers as residents are allowed back into their homes to search for items in Fairdale on April 11, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA view from the second floor of a building shows the level of damage to Fairdale on April 10, 2015, the day after a tornado hit the north cenral Illinois town.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFirefighters search for signs of life as they go door-to-door off Highway 72 after a tornado devastated Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneHomes in Fairdale, seen April 10, 2015, were leveled after a tornado ripped through the north central Illinois town the night before.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneTricia Brittenham carries away items at her sister Valerie's home on Quarry Road in unincorporated Ogle County on April 10, 2015, a day after the area was hit by a tornado. Valerie Young and her family had gone to Indiana to attend a funeral but returned early to find their house mostly destroyed by the tornado. Brittenham traveled from Green Bay, Wis., to help.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribunePhotographs arranged in the shape of a clock hang on a wall at the Young family home in Ogle County on April 10, 2015, after the area was hit by a tornado the previous night. The home was heavily damaged.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA man examines mangled trees in Fairdale after a tornado devastated the town on April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFairdale resident Susan Meyer waits to talk with officers to see when she can check on her home on April 10, 2015, after the town was hit by a tornado the previous night.
Chuck Berman, Chicago TribuneThe sky darkens as an afternoon thunderstorm hits Lombard on April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneThe sun rises next to a barn on Quarry Road south of Fairdale in rural DeKalb County on April 11, 2015. A tornado caused major damage to most of the town April 9.
John Konstantaras, Chicago TribuneStorm clouds pass near McHenry on April 9, 2015.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneSydney Misirian, 15, of the Harvest Bible Chapel in Elgin, helps other volunteers sort donated clothing at a park in Kirkland on April 12, 2015.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneA car sits flipped in a Fairdale field April 10, 2015, the morning after a tornado ripped through the north central Illinois town.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA destroyed house at the corner of Highway 72 and West Street in Fairdale at dawn on April 10, 2015. A tornado destroyed much of the north central Illinois town the night before.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneCleanup continues April 12, 2015, at a workshop in Fairdale.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFirefighters gather before leaving the area after a tornado struck Fairdale, Ill., on April 9, 2015.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneVolunteers sort donations for tornado victims at a park in Kirkland on April 12, 2015. There was extensive damage in the town of Fairdale, a few miles west of Kirkland.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneThe path of an EF4 tornado took it through the small north-central Illinois town of Fairdale, killing two people and damaging all buildings in the rural community.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA horse wanders toward television news reporters in Fairdale on April 10, 2015, after a tornado destroyed much of the town the previous night.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA house is destroyed after a tornado passed through Fairdale, Ill., on April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneThe sun rises past trees on Quarry Road south of Fairdale in rural DeKalb County on April 11, 2015. A tornado caused major damage to most of the town April 9.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneStreet signs and trees were uprooted at the corner of Highway 72 and West Street in Fairdale, Ill., at dawn April 10, 2015, after a tornado destroyed much of the town the night before.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA tornado tore through Fairdale on April 9, 2015, leaving a path of destruction in the north central Illinois town.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneClarence Schultz and Donna Peek talk while searching through their properties in Fairdale on April 11, 2015. A tornado caused major damage to most of the town April 9, killing two people -- Schultz's wife, Geraldine, and Peek's mother, Jacklyn Klosa.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFirefighters search for signs of life as they go door-to-door off Highway 72 after a tornado devastated Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneA home and a neighborhood show destruction in Fairdale on April 10, 2015, the morning after a tornado ripped through the town.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneCleanup from a tornado continues April 12, 2015, at a workshop in Fairdale.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFirefighters search for signs of life as they go door-to-door after a tornado devastated the town of Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneDonna Peek pauses while searching for items at what was her mother Jacklyn Klosa's home in Fairdale on April 11, 2015. Klosa was one of two people killed during a tornado that caused major damage to most of the town April 9.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneA room at First Lutheran Church in Kirkland is full of donated blankets. A tornado April 9, 2015, devastated the town of Fairdale, a few miles west.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneSearch and rescue markings are left on a home April 10, 2015, that was destroyed after a tornado ripped through the north central Illinois area the night before.
Michael Tercha, Chicago TribuneA fisherman casts his line through the misty fog April 9, 2015, near Adler Planetarium.
Chris Sweda, Chicago TribuneLightning strikes over downtown Chicago as a storm moves through the area on Thursday, April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFirefighters search for signs of life as they go door-to-door off Highway 72 after a tornado devastated Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneCleanup continues April 12, 2015, from tornado damage in Fairdale.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneCleanup continues April 12, 2015, from tornado damage in Fairdale.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneA man finds a lamp while cleaning up from tornado damage in Fairdale on April 12, 2015.
Antonio Perez, Chicago TribuneA woman and children cross Clinton Street at Jackson Boulevard during a brief downpour in Chicago on April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneDonna Peek hugs a neighbor while searching for items at what was her mother Jacklyn Klosa's home in Fairdale on April 11, 2015. Klosa was one of two people killed during a tornado that caused major damage to most of the town April 9.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA firefighter stands near toppled trees off of Highway 72, after a tornado struck Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneFreda Robinson, center, and Antanyia Griffis, center right, of Belvidere, pray during services April 12, 2015, at First United Methodist Church of Kirkland.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA man surveys damage to the roof of a house as residents are allowed back to retrieve items from their homes in Fairdale on April 11, 2015.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneVolunteers unload donations from Victoria Treadway's van April 12, 2015, at First Lutheran Church in Kirkland. Treadway drove the donations three hours from Farmington, Ill.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA cookie jar lid shaped like Little Red Riding Hood is placed on a board outside what used to be the apartment belonging to Deb Johnson in Fairdale on April 11, 2015. She and her husband, Kevin, had their wedding reception in the same building 40 years ago, when the structure was used as a social club.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneTanner Young places family photos on a couch at his home in unincorporated Ogle County on April 10, 2015, the day after the area was hit by a tornado. The home was mostly destroyed by the twister.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneCleanup continues April 12, 2015, from tornado damage in Fairdale.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneA Fairdale mailbox is covered in mud on April 10, 2015, the day after a tornado ripped through the city.
Joe Shuman, Chicago TribuneA tow truck driver (left) talks with the driver of a car pulled from the flooded underpass at Rollins Road and Route 83 in Round Lake Beach after heavy rain flooded the area on April 9, 2015.
Joe Shuman, Chicago TribuneA new train underpass is flooded at Rollins Road and Route 83 in Round Lake Beach after heavy rain hit the area on April 9, 2015.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneMembers of the Kirkland Fire Department search a Fairdale home April 10, 2015, the day after a tornado devastated the north central Illinois town.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneResidents of Fairdale return to their homes to search for items in the wreckage April 11, 2015. A tornado caused major damage to most of the town April 9.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneTanner Young walks through what remains of the second floor of his home on Quarry Road in unincorporated Ogle County on April 10, 2015, after the area was hit by a tornado the previous night. Young and his family had gone to Indiana to attend a funeral but returned early to find their home had been mostly destroyed by the storm.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneAfter driving from Elgin to help in the wake of Thursday's tornado, Matt Spitzer, left, and Josh Mink found three American flags in the debris in Fairdale. "People who go through something like this, I want them to know that we are here to help, that they are not alone in this," Spitzer said.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA house is destroyed after a tornado passed through Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneA former church building was turned into a residence in Fairdale. It did not escape damage from the tornado April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA police officer guards a street after a tornado tore through Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneJanet Taylor, center, and Bonnie Lorensen, center right, attend services April 12, 2015, at First United Methodist Church of Kirkland.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA police helicopter flies above Fairdale, Ill., on April 10, 2015, after the town was ravaged by a tornado the previous night.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneWorkers re-install the Fairdale town sign and posted speed limit on Highway 72 on April 10, 2015, after it was uprooted by a tornado the previous night.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneAn angel statue sits on the front lawn of Charlene Roach's house as residents are allowed back into their homes to search for items in Fairdale on April 11, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFirefighters search for signs of life as they go door-to-door off Highway 72 after a tornado devastated Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneTrees are stripped and uprooted on a street in Fairdale at dawn on April 10, 2015, after a tornado destroyed much of the town the previous night.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneDeb Johnson stands in front of what used to be her apartment in Fairdale on April 10, 2015. Johnson and her husband, Kevin, had their wedding reception in the same building 40 years ago, when the structure was used as a social club.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFiberglass insulation clings to tree branches on Highway 72 in Fairdale on April 10, 2015, after a tornado destroyed much of the town the previous night.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneTanner Young views what is left of an upstairs room at his home on Quarry Road in unincorporated Ogle County on April 10, 2015, a day after the area was hit by a tornado. Young and his family had gone to Indiana to attend a funeral for a family friend but returned early after hearing a fire call was made on their home and found it had been mostly destroyed by the tornado.
Brian Cassella, Chicago TribuneCleanup continues April 12, 2015, from tornado damage in Fairdale.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribuneA wandering horse stands alone in a field in Fairdale on April 10, 2015, the day after a tornado ripped through the town.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneOfficials and residents walk through a street after a tornado struck Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA view from a shattered car windshield shows the level of damage to Fairdale on April 10, 2015, the day after a tornado hit.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFairdale resident Susan Meyer, right, stands on the east side of a spray-painted line that residents are not allowed to cross as she talks with a police officer April 10, 2015, to see when she can check on her home. The town was devastated by a tornado the previous night.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneFirefighters search for signs of life off Highway 72 after a tornado devastated Fairdale on April 9, 2015.
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago TribunePower lines remain knocked over in a field near Fairdale on April 10, 2015, the day after a tornado tore through the town.
John J. Kim, Chicago TribuneA tree limb is lodged in the family room wall at the home of Joe DeBenedetto, center, and sons Joey, left, and Anthony on April 10, 2015, in Fairdale. A tornado damaged all of the homes in the north central Illinois town the previous night.
John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune
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Donna Peek holds a photograph of herself, from left, her mother Jacklyn Klosa and her sister Melissa, which Peek found amid the debris at her mother's house in Fairdale on April 11, 2015. A tornado caused major damage to most of the town April 9, killing two people, including Jacklyn Klosa.
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Geraldine Schultz and Jacklyn Klosa were close neighbors. They lived just a house apart in a small farming town of just 150 people in DeKalb County.
Thursday evening, the two women in their 60s were in their homes when the skies grew black and a tornado flattened Fairdale. Both died, the only two apparent fatalities from the storms.
Klosa, 69, was found in the second-floor bathroom of her home on Main Street, according to DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller. She had last spoken to her sister, telling her she was going into the shower for shelter, he said.
That’s where firefighters found her during a secondary search Friday, her purse clutched in her hands.
Two houses down, Schultz, 67, was found dead upstairs shortly after the storms hit Thursday evening, the coroner said. She and her husband had apparently been trying to reach the basement, according to her son, Tony Poden, 46.
“I got there just after they brought her out,” Poden said. “She was wrapped in a blanket on the front lawn.”
Poden said his stepfather, Clarence “Clem” Schultz, suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital. “He’s bruised up, he’s cut up,” Poden said. “But he’s a strong man.”
Poden said he was helping his son change the brakes on Poden’s SUV at his home in Rockton when he heard a tornado had demolished Fairdale. Poden’s sister called shortly afterward to tell him their mother had died in the storm.
Poden called his mother “a very strong woman” who raised five children.
She loved her family and was “really, really proud” of a nephew who recently completed advanced training in the Army. She also enjoyed the front porch on the two-story frame house on Main Street that she and Clem rehabbed about 12 years ago after living in Hampshire for years.
“They’re easygoing country people,” he said. “They didn’t like the busyness of the city. They liked a place where everybody knew everybody.”
A neighbor said the women were friends.
Schultz was known as “Geri” to friends and was kindhearted and gentle, according to Sue Meyer, 67. She would also drive Klosa to clinics for medical treatment. Meyer said Klosa was fun-loving and quick-witted.
Schultz and Klosa died as tornadoes struck a six-county swath of the state Thursday evening, injuring about a dozen other people and sweeping homes off their foundations.
