December 14, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

10 things you don’t know about me… Noreen Acton

Every week we ask an area resident to share 10 things about themselves that we may not know. This week we talked to Villa Grove AD and St. Joseph resident Noreen Acton.

My favorite childhood memory is visiting DisneyWorld for the first time as a kindergartener.

My first pets names were Mittens and Nutmeg. They were two cats from the same litter.

I am most proud of raising my children. I think they are turning out to be two pretty decent human beings.

I wasn’t seeking out the AD role when I was hired at Villa Grove. The opportunity presented itself when my former cooperating teacher left her position and the AD job opened up along with a PE/Health teaching job. I am grateful to the principal who took a chance on a 25 year old kid who didn’t have a clue. My job as AD allows me to interact with kids as I get to watch them grow as athletes and people, mentor coaches and be involved in the a administrative side of competitive interscholastic athletics—all things I enjoy tremendously.

I always carry my dad’s prayer card from his visitation

I could watch “Christmas Vacation” over and over.

I last binge watched “Dead to Me” on Netflix.

Thornton Wilders “Our Town” is a book that I read in high school that stayed with me because of the idea of appreciating each moment as we live.

Fall is my favorite season. There’s something exciting about the start of a new school year, the leaves changing color, bonfires and football.

Besides the obvious things most people love about St Joe-schools, rec programs/parks, restaurants close to home and great people/teachers who watch over my kids like they are their own. I specifically love the floral arrangements currently wrapped around the lightpoles in town & how they are then tastefully decorated with greenery & ornaments for the holidays.

in People
Banner
Related Posts

Get to know SJO marching band member Kirsten Schaefer

October 21, 2022

October 21, 2022

My favorite part about marching band is the endless support that is shared throughout the band with one another and...

10 things you don’t know about me…KERMIT EUGENE ESAREY

September 23, 2022

September 23, 2022

KERMIT EUGENE ESAREY will be inducted into the St. Joseph-Ogden Hall of Fame tonight. Kermit was born and raised in...

Giving back: PVO helps out Abernathy family with fundraiser

October 15, 2019

October 15, 2019

The Prairieview-Ogden community knows how to come together. And tonight is no exception. Corey Abernathy, who was an assistant coach...

Kids say

July 19, 2019

July 19, 2019

Second graders from PVO South tell us if they would like to be a farmer. This post is sponsored by...

Spirit of giving: SJO graduate Whitney Setterdahl continues to help out teens with cancer

December 4, 2019

December 4, 2019

Whitney Setterdahl knows what it is like to be in the hospital during the holidays. Setterdahl is a recent graduate...

Bracelets honoring Booker bring attention to Scott’s Law

April 5, 2022

April 5, 2022

Vickie Reese is hoping a bracelet will help people remember to move over when they see flashing lights. Reese, the...

‘St. Joseph is better because of Dixie Hackler’

January 20, 2020

January 20, 2020

Dixie Hackler always had a smile on her face. Always made time for others. And always made sure others knew...

5 things you don’t know about me… Braxton Kuchenbrod

August 7, 2019

August 7, 2019

Braxton is in the running for the title of Little Prince! He is six years old. We asked him to...

Kids Say…

June 24, 2019

June 24, 2019

Every week we ask five students to tell us what they think a farmer does. This week it is second...

Scholarship honors, remembers Dick Duval: ‘His legend will live on in St. Joe’

October 5, 2021

October 5, 2021

If you want to know who Dick Duval truly was, all you have to do is ask St. Joseph-Ogden Superintendent...

10 Things You Don’t Know about me… Sharon Jeffers

March 20, 2019

March 20, 2019

I have two grown and married children, Logan/Tressica and Lauren/Kris, and two beautiful grandchildren Weston, and Emma I grew up...

10 things you don’t know about me… Angela O’Brien Page

August 26, 2019

August 26, 2019

Every week we ask an area resident to share 10 facts about themselves. This week we asked Angela O’Brien Page....

Former rivals give back with youth girls’ basketball program

January 22, 2019

January 22, 2019

Growing up, Andrea Flenniken was a Spartan. Flenniken graduated from St. Joseph-Ogden High School in 1996 and played girls’ basketball...

Williams to be inducted into Hall of Fame

October 10, 2024

October 10, 2024

Larry Williams feels honored. Williams will be inducted into the SJO Hall of Fame on Friday during the Homecoming Football...

Appl can hear the good news, and that’s a good thing

May 8, 2019

May 8, 2019

Ten years ago, Candi Appl was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease. Meniere’s disease is an inner ear disease that usually affects...

Comments
Leave a Reply