Elinor (Scott) Root ’43 passed away peacefully after a long illness, in Costa Mesa, California. She was 97.

Rook lived in Elmhurst for almost 50 years, where she spent her professional career as a home economics teacher at York Community High School. She is preceded in death by her husband William M. Rook, and is survived by her two children, Karen Rook and Dennis Rook, and many close friends.

You can read the full obituary here.

Colleen (Costigan) Welch ’46 of Manhattan Beach, California, died Feb. 16, 2020. She was 95.

Colleen served during World War II, teaching anti-aircraft gunnery while stationed in Rhode Island. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Illinois Wesleyan and later a teaching degree from Loyola Marymount University. She worked at The Pantagraph before moving to California in 1954. There, she taught at both American Martyrs School and Bishop Montgomery High School. Her many hobbies included golf, calligraphy, painting and bridge. She will be remembered for her wit, kindness and friendship to the many who were fortunate to know her. She is survived by three children, eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a brother.

You can read the full obituary here.

Susan (Hoose) Jefferson ’54 died Dec. 26, 2020. She was 88. Susie earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Illinois Wesleyan, where she was also active in Kappa Kappa Gamma. Susie was a strong supporter of her husband Thomas Jefferson ’52 in the founding of Heritage Enterprises (now known as Heritage Health) in 1961. Susie was passionate about serving the elderly, and she served on Heritage’s board of directors from 2004 until her passing. Susie was strong, generous and smart. She was a member of Second Presbyterian Church and P.E.O. Chapter CL, where she had served as president. She was also an active supporter of the Baby Fold. She loved knitting and needlepointing, and opened a needlepoint shop with Georgette Shupe in 1981. She also enjoyed cooking, crossword puzzles, Bridge Club, tennis, golf and socializing with her many friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, sister Nancy (Hoose) Froelich ’52 and many other family members and friends. She is survived by two sons, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Angela “Ann” (Kreider) Proctor ’57 died Jan. 10, 2021, in Milan, Ohio.

Ann majored in music and was active in Sigma Alpha Iota at Illinois Wesleyan. She was a Rotarian, and was active in the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra, Firelands Symphony Orchestra and Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra Board. She played in many quartets over the years. She loved “gadding” around town, watching sports, needle point, sewing, reading and listening to books on tape. Her greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren and family. She is survived by three children, six grandchildren, a brother, Stanley Kreider ’53, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

You can read the full obituary here.

Marlin TenBoer ’52 of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, died Nov. 21, 2020.

Marlin, or “Muggs” as he was known by his classmates, majored in music at Illinois Wesleyan and was active in Phi Mu Alpha, the Apollo Quartet, and IWU’s concert and marching bands. He married Sara (Watson) TenBoer ’52 shortly after their IWU graduation. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was a playing member of the 5th Army Band, stationed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. He later served as an admissions counselor at Illinois Wesleyan before earning a doctorate at Indiana University. He was a longtime employee of Northern Illinois University, and he and Sara were longtime residents of DeKalb, Illinois. He was known for his wit and humor, and was a friend to all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by two children and several grandchildren.

Patricia (Clothier) Schumm ’48 of Normal, Illinois, died Jan. 4, 2021. She was 94.

Pat was active in Kappa Delta, sports and choir at Illinois Wesleyan. She was the backbone to her late husband’s many businesses and shared with him a love of NASCAR, fishing and farming. She was a past president of Towanda (Ill.) PTA, IWU’s Kappa Delta Alumni Association and Hudson (Ill.) Education Association. She was active in Second Presbyterian Church and a women’s farming group known as the Towanda Busy Bees. She enjoyed bird-watching, gardening and all things recycling. She is survived by four children, six grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, three stepchildren and five step-great-grandchildren.

You can read the full obituary here.

Sybil (Wyle) Young ’52 of Arlington Heights, Illinois, died Sept. 24, 2020. She was 90.

Sybil studied foreign languages, music, English literature and creative writing at Illinois Wesleyan. She spent 38 years in education as an elementary and high school teacher, and English as a second language instructor. During her years of teaching, she pursued graduate studies at BouIder State University, Northeastern University and the National College of Education. She retired from teaching in 1989. Sybil was an ardent believer in giving and was a volunteer at Northwest Community Hospital, where she co-chaired the hospital’s fashion show charity luncheons in 1991 and 1992. She tutored Japanese adults in reading and ESL, volunteered at the Arlington Heights Senior Center, and was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, where she sang in the choir. Sybil is survived by many friends and acquaintances.

You can read the full obituary here.

John Kahle ’50 died Nov. 26, 2020, in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was 92.

John earned a bachelor’s degree in physics at Illinois Wesleyan and a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He spent four years in the U.S. Air Force as a nuclear radiation specialist. John worked in a variety of roles: at General Electric’s aircraft nuclear propulsion facility in Cincinnati; at GE’s nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Wilmington, North Carolina; as a senior health physicist at Monsanto Research Corporation in Miamisburg, Ohio; and at the Atomic Energy Commission/Nuclear Regulatory Commission Inspection and Enforcement Department in Atlanta. John was a member of the American Health Physics Society, American Nuclear Society, American Industrial Hygiene Association, National Association of Retired Federal Employees, and Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church. He enjoyed hunting and participating in the National Cornhusking Association’s annual contest held every October in various Midwest locations. He is survived by two children.

You can read the full obituary here.

Charles Doxey ’58 of Valparaiso, Indiana, died Nov. 18, 2020. He was 84.

Charles served in the United States Air Force Reserves. He graduated from Illinois Wesleyan, where he was active in Sigma Chi and met his future wife, Diana (Davis) Doxey ’60. Charles worked as a certified public accountant. His work took him all over the Midwest, and he eventually ran his own business in Crown Point, Indiana, for 30 years. He was active in the Rotary Club and enjoyed playing bridge and golf, working on puzzles, and gardening with his wife. He was a lifelong Chicago Cubs and deemed the team’s World Series win in 2016 as one of the highlights of his life. He also enjoyed traveling with his family, particularly to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina and Door County in Wisconsin. He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by three children, his AFS daughter and her children, and four grandchildren.

You can read the full obituary here.

Marguerite (Nigro) Flanigan ’54 died Nov. 9, 2020, in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was 89.

Marguerite earned a bachelor’s degree in music at Illinois Wesleyan, where she was active in Sigma Alpha Iota. She later met her husband while pursuing a master’s degree at Northern Illinois University. Together they raised five children in Champaign, Illinois, and New Lenox, Illinois. Marguerite was a gifted mezzo-soprano and pianist who regularly performed in church. She taught private piano lessons for many years and was an elementary school music and classroom teacher who retired from Goodings Grove School in Homer Glen, Illinois. In her later years, she moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul, where she made countless friends. Her family was of the utmost importance to her, and her home was always open to family, friends, or anyone else who came to her door. She is survived by two sisters, five children, eight grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

You can read the full obituary here.