Margery Alden Lawrence Hetherington, 98, formerly of Clarendon Hills, passed away peacefully Dec. 22, 2024.
While Margery's love for family will be her legacy, she also will be remembered as well for her witty banter, her skills organizing and participating in social events, and her admiration and nurturing of the creativity that she recognized in others.
Margery was born in 1926 in Chicago, daughter of Roland Hall Lawrence and Margaret Dibble Gear. She grew up and attended school in the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago. As a young girl, Margery loved spending time at her parents' vacation cabin on their farm near Sycamore. As a teenager during World War II, Margery volunteered at the USO to help entertain the troops stationed in Chicago.
She earned a bachelor's degree in English at Denison University in Ohio in 1948. During college, Margery became a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She was a post-graduate counselor for the sorority at San Jose State University, helping to install the Delta Chi Chapter. During summers, Margery worked for the George Williams College Camp in Williams Bay, Wis. Lake Geneva became a favorite vacation spot for her.
Margery worked as a fifth-grade teacher in Arlington Heights. Her students were treated to an annual bus field trip to the Lawrence family farm in Sycamore. In 1952, Margery married her husband, John "Jack" Murray Hetherington, also of Beverly. They were married until Jack's death in 2004. Margery and Jack had three children and raised their family in Clarendon Hills. She continued being a teacher to her children and instilled in them a love of the arts, including reading, music, poetry, creative dance and theater.
Ice skating, sailing and skiing played an important role for much of her life. Margery cherished them for recreation and exercise as well as another opportunity to engage with family and friends. Sports even played a role in her marriage, as Jack proposed to Margery on the greens of a golf course in Lake Geneva.
Margery developed a rewarding career volunteering in area communities. She led story hour at the Clarendon Hills Public Library, worked in various roles for the Union Church of Hinsdale, was a loom weaver at the Graue Mill Museum and served as a member and president of the Hinsdale chapter of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She was an active member of the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter and the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Margery also provided considerable support to Jack's long career in architecture.
She is survived by her children, Robin (David) Finlay, John "Lars" (Marie-Luise Weng) Hetherington and Laurel (Otto) Wimpffen; her grandchildren, Matthew Scigousky and Brooke (Chris) Chester; her great-grandchildren, Simone, Mia, Holden, Cameron and Rohen; her sister, Alice Lund; her brother, Larry (Vikki); and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Hetherington; her sister, Betsy Sherman; her brothers-in-law, George Lund and John (Jack) Sherman; and her nephews, David and Peter Lund.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Memorials may be made to Bernie's Book Bank, 917 N. Shore Drive, Lake Bluff, IL 60044 or online at http://www.berniesbookbank.org
Proko Funeral Home in Kenosha, Wis., handled the arrangements.
