Deadly Farmhouse Fire Near Minooka: Kendall County Coroner Performs Autopsy On Victim

MINOOKA, IL — The Kendall County Coroner's Office informed Joliet Patch on Tuesday afternoon that the autopsy performed on 75-year-old Sharleen Smith has ruled out any possibility that her death was suspicious. The deputy coroner indicated Smith's death is considered accidental in nature and all of her injuries were consistent with the fire.

On Monday, Kendall County Sheriff's deputies responded to Hanson Road in rural Minooka at 9:46 a.m. to assist the Lisbon Seward Fire Protection District with the structure fire. Hanson Road is about a mile long; it's between Bell Road and Holt Road and only has a few farmhouses along the road.

The 911 emergency dispatchers relayed that a woman may still be inside her house, and she was having difficulty exiting. Upon arrival, the firefighters found the house totally engulfed with flames and first responders were unable to enter. Kendall County Sheriff's deputies said that once the fire was contained, firefighters entered the house and found Smith's body.

Monday's blaze drew several dozen firefighters to Hanson Road from fire departments including Braidwood, the city of Joliet, Lisbon-Seward, Minooka, Morris, Channahon, Plainfield, Oswego, Troy and as afar way as Seneca.

On Tuesday, Joliet Patch returned to the scene and found the farmhouse reduced to a pile of rubble.

A couple of worn fire hoses used to extinguish the blaze were left behind. One area farmer reckoned that Smith had lived at the farmhouse since the late 1980s. She lived there alone and she did not farm the area of fields, he explained.

Several People Remember Sharleen Smith As Teacher, Dog Lover

On Monday, several people who knew the 75-year-old rural Minooka woman posted comments on the Kendall County Sheriff's Office Facebook page including the following statements:

"Sharleen was my business partner at Ready Set Ride Therapeutic Recreation Facility for twenty-five years! She was the kindest human being. A wonderful math teacher at Sundberg High School for 25 years. A secretary for Platteville Methodist Church. To Rick, please reach out to us. Prayers."

Another person wrote: "May God bless Sharleen. Prayers for our neighbors. Thank you for this report. Too many rumors running in the neighborhood. Back in the day we would have to bring her dog home who came to play with our German Shepherds. Our relationship was through our pets. RIP."

"Sharleen was a great client at Minooka animal hospital, she would bring in her dog buddy (who passed last year) Such a kind woman and will be greatly missed. RIP Sharleen."

"She was my math tutor for years, I don't know what I would've done without her. We were so lucky to have had her."

"May God rest her soul that is no way to die."