Anna Sutter

She was born on September 19, 1935, in Croatia, the daughter of Anna and Djuro "George" Rabotski. Anna and her older brother, John, left Croatia and moved to West Germany, where she met and married Jan Grega. Their first child, Monica, was born in Germany in 1956. The three of them immigrated to the United States in 1957 and settled in Chicago, where they had two more children, John and Laurie. While doing custodial work, Anna fell down a flight of concrete steps, breaking her back. Over the years, she had three back operations and spent many months in the hospital. She lived with chronic back pain and poor circulation in her legs and feet for the rest of her life. After her husband’s sudden death in 1966, Anna raised her three children alone, doing factory or custodial work when she was able. Anna met and married John Sutter in 1979 and lived with him in Zion, Illinois, until his death in 2013. She then moved to Palatine with her daughter Monica. She was a devout member of the New Apostolic Church.

Anna faced many hardships in her lifetime. During World War II, she knew hunger and lost her father, who served and never returned home. At the age of ten, she was forced into labor at a post-war work camp. She twice left home for a new country in search of a better life. She endured daily pain. She lost her hearing, which made it difficult to communicate with others. She also mourned many loved ones. Through it all, she had joy and love in her heart. She loved her family unconditionally; she loved her friends deeply; she loved and cared for animals compassionately; and she loved God faithfully.

She is survived by her children, Monica (Mike) Perkins of Havana, John (Amelia) Grega of Antioch, and Laurie (Steve) Brown of Schaumburg; stepchildren, Carolyn (John) Sutter and Kim (Steve) Dreamer; grandchildren, Tiffany Steele, Frank (Randy) DeGrendel, Michael (Alejandra) Sepke, and Sam Sepke; great-grandson, Ryan Steele Castor; step-grandchildren, Lauren Sutter, Brice (Ines) Dreamer, and Graham Dreamer; step-great-grandchildren, Lena and Edison Charneau Dreamer; sisters, Vera (Wilfried) Kultau and Esther (Wolfgang) Schmidt, and sister-in-law, Elke Helm-Tordinac, all of Germany; niece, Mary (Don) Gajewski; nephews, Ed (Sandy) Rabotski, Frank Kultau, and Simon Schmidt; and great-nephew and great-nieces, Jason (Janessa) Rabotski, Nicole (Skyler) Carlino, Shannon Rabotski, Eva Gajewski, Chantal Kultau, and Noemi Kultau.

Anna was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Jan Grega and John Sutter; and her brothers, John (Maria) Rabotski and Paul Tordinac.

Anna was cremated and will be buried at Fort Sheridan National Cemetery in Lake Bluff, Illinois, alongside her husband John Sutter. A Visitation and a memorial service will be held Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the New Apostolic Church located 430 North Addison Road, Addison. Glueckert Funeral Home is assisting the family. The visitation will begin at 9:30 am until the time of the Memorial Service at 11: 00 am