Notice regarding the probate of Carolyn A. Ward's estate and claims process.

LEGAL NOTICE-Published 03/18, 03/25, 04/01-STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WOODFORD COUNTY - IN PROBATEIN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CAROLYN A. WARD, DECEASED.CASE NO. 2026 PR 20NOTICE OF CLAIM DAYNOTICE is given of the death of CAROLYN A. WARD, on December 31, 2025.  Letters of Office were issued to KAREN GAY TELTHORST ("Representative"), whose Attorneys of Record are Westervelt, Johnson, Nicoll & Keller, LLC ("Attorneys"), 416 Main Street, Suite 200, Peoria, Illinois 61602.Claims against the estate may be filed with the Clerk of Court of Woodford County, or with the representative, or both, on or before September 19, 2026, or if mailing or delivery of a notice from the representative is required by Section 18-3 of the Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/18-3), the date stated in that notice.  Filing with the Clerk is to be in accordance with Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9 respecting electronic filing which was effective January 1, 2018, for proceedings in the Circuit Court.     Any claim not filed on or before the above-referenced date is barred.  Within 10 days after filing a claim with the Clerk, the Claimant must mail or deliver a copy of the claim to the Representative and to the Representative's Attorney of Record and file with the Clerk a proof of mailing or delivery of said copy.NOTICE TO HEIRS AND LEGATEESNotice is given to any and all persons who is an heir or legatee in the above proceeding to probate a Will and whose name or address is not stated in the Petition to admit the Will to probate, that an Order was entered by the Court on March 9, 2026, admitting the Will to probate. Within 42 days after the effective date of the original order of admission you may file a petition with the court to require proof of the Will by testimony of the witnesses to the Will in open court or other evidence, as provided in Section 6-21 of the Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/6-21).You also have the right under Section 8-1 of the Probate Act (755 ILCS 5/8-1) to contest the validity of the Will by filing a petition with the Court within 6 months after admission of the Will to probate. Filing of either petition is to be in accordance with Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9 respecting electronic filing which was effective January 1, 2018, for proceedings in the Circuit Court.E-filing is now mandatory for documents in civil cases with limited exceptions.  To e-file you must first create an account with an e-filing service provider. Visit
 http://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/service-providers to learn more and to select a service provider. If you need additional help or have trouble e-filing, visit http://illinoiscourts.gov/FAQ/gethelp.asp, or talk with your local circuit clerk's office.RIGHTS OF INTERESTED PERSONS DURING INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATION; FORM OF PETITION TO TERMINATE INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATIONOn March 9, 2026, an Order was entered by the Circuit Court of Woodford County granting independent administration of the Estate of Carolyn A. Ward, Deceased.  The order appointed KAREN GAY TELTHORST as the Independent Executor.  This means that the Executor will not have to obtain court orders or file estate documents in court during probate.  The estate will be administered without court supervision, unless an interested person asks the court to become involved.Under Section 28-4 of the Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/28-4) any interested person may terminate independent administration at any time by mailing or delivering a petition to terminate to the clerk of court.  However, if there is a will which directs independent administration, independent administration will be terminated only if the court finds there is good cause to require supervised administration; and if the petitioner is a creditor or nonresiduary legatee, independent administration will be terminated only if the court finds that termination is necessary to protect the petitioner's interest.A petition in substantially the following form may be used to terminate independent administration:STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WOODFORD COUNTY - IN PROBATEIN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF  CAROLYN A. WARD, Deceased.Case No. 2026 PR 20Petition to Terminate Independent Administration_____, on oath states:1. On March 9, 2026, an order was entered granting independent administration to KAREN GAY TELTHORST as Independent Executor.2. I am an interested person in this estate as (heir) (nonresiduary legatee)  (residuary legatee) (creditor) (representative) 3. The Will (does) (does not) direct independent administration.4. I request that independent administration be terminated.(signature of petitioner)   Signed and Sworn to before me this __ day of _____, 2026./s/ Notary PublicIn addition to the right to terminate independent administration, any interested person may petition the court to hold a hearing and resolve any particular question that may arise during independent administration, even though supervised administration has not been requested (755 ILCS 5/28-5).  The independent representative must mail a copy of the estate inventory and final account to each interested person and must send notice to or obtain the approval of each interested person before the estate can be closed (755 ILCS 5/28-6, 28-11).  Any interested person has the right to question or object to any item included in or omitted from an inventory or account or to insist on a full court accounting of all receipts and disbursements with prior notice, as required in supervised administration (755 ILCS 5/28-11).DATED:  March 13, 2026.KAREN GAY TELTHORST, Executor of the Estate of CAROLYN A. WARD, Deceased.Roger E. Holzgrafe, Esq., 
ARDC 1253808Westervelt, Johnson, Nicoll & Keller, LLC416 Main Street, Suite 200Peoria, Illinois  61602(309) 671-3550rholzgrafe@wjnklaw.com007-339284