I submit that the person whose parents grew up in Illinois had parents from New England.
I've lived here 25 years, and a percentage of the locals use this pronunciation. Perhaps it is related to the strong French element here.
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Allan Berggren
Claremont, NH
A lot of people from that part of the company warsh their faces with warshcloths, too. Â Although I think that's northern Illinois, and even more common in Wisconsin. Â And I've heard others say Michigan, too, though I've never lived there.