Lana Rae Uplinger, mother, wife, nurse, and businesswoman, 76, DeKalb, Illinois, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by love on June 26, 2025.

Lana was born in DeKalb, Illinois, on December 26, 1948 to her parents Junie and Agnes (Nodland) Johnson. Lana and her five sisters, Donna, Janet, Mary Lee, and Linda grew up helping out at their family’s fishing resort (Shangrila) in Longville, MN. This is where Lana found her lifelong love for fishing and Northern Minnesota, two things that would stick with her for her entire life. 

Lana went on to have four daughters of her own, Kristine (Craig) Littlefield, Kimberly (Kyle) Butz, Kendra Chaplin, and Karlene (Brian) Stitle. As a single mother with four young girls, she put herself through school and obtained her nursing degree. During her career as a nurse she held many roles, labor and delivery, oncology, home health, and became nurse manager of a local long term care facility. One day on the tennis court, she met the love of her life, Paul Uplinger. Through Paul she gained two stepsons, Timothy (Amy) Uplinger and Christopher (Holly) Uplinger. They went on to be married for 28 years and together started their livery service, Blue Sky Limousines. Their driveway was always full of white-stretch limousines and town cars ready to serve their large clientele for over two decades. 

Lana was known as “Nonnie” to her 16 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Over the years she would bring them to northern Minnesota to show them her “fisherwoman” ways, have sleepovers on her bedroom floor, and they would play with all of her great toys. 

Lana was preceded in death by both of her parents, two sisters (Donna and Janet), her husband Paul, and their grandson Trevor Carr. 

Private Memorial Service will be held.

Her family will be having a private burial for her to return her to the place she loved most, northern Minnesota. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Uplinger Family in care of Anderson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 605, 2011 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, IL 60115.

For information, visit www.AndersonFuneralHomeLtd.com or call 815-756-1022.