Mary Frances Whitaker

Mary Frances Whitaker (née Shive) passed away on June 19, 2025. She was born July 3, 1934, in Quincy, Illinois, the daughter of George and Mary Shive. Mary graduated with a B.A. in Education from the University of Illinois in 1956, and moved to New Lenox, where she taught English at Lincoln-Way High School.

In 1957, she married Ronald M. Whitaker of New Lenox – celebrating their 68th anniversary this past March. Mary left teaching to raise their two young sons, David and Andy, later earning a graduate degree in education for the learning disabled. Employed by the New Lenox School District as a teacher for those students, she became coordinator of the District’s LD services – a position she held for over 25 years until she retired at the age of 60. Mary was nominated for Illinois’ Teacher of the Year Award in 1990. In 1991, she received an Award of Merit from the Illinois State Board of Education.

She was a lover of music and of animals, especially the many dogs and cats that became part of her family over the years, and a fan of classic murder mysteries. She enjoyed traveling, with two trips to Africa with Ron among her most memorable adventures.

Mary was a long-time member of the New Lenox United Methodist Church and a founding member of the New Lenox Historical Society. After retiring, she developed and regularly presented a program at Schmuhl School on the experience of teaching, and being a student, in a one-room schoolhouse. She was also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international professional society for women educators, where she served as an officer for the local chapter.

Mary is survived by her husband Ron, her brothers H. Robert Shive (Kathryn) and David B. Shive (Reanne), her sons R. David Whitaker (Mary Victoria Dycus) and Andrew L. Whitaker, her grandchildren Stuart W. Dycus, Richard D. Whitaker (Lindsay), Marian D. Whitaker, Christina Hildebrand (Ryan), and Tony Schlorff (Sarah), three great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents and her sister, V. Georgeann Sarikcioglu.

Services for Mary Frances Whitaker will be on July 3, 2025. The memorial visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of New Lenox, 339 West Haven Avenue, New Lenox, Illinois, with a memorial service immediately following at 2:00 p.m. The burial and final resting place will be at 3:00 p.m. at the Maplewood Cemetery in New Lenox, Illinois. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Mary's name to the New Lenox Area Historical Society at https://newlenoxhistory.org/. The service will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend, the livestream will start approximately 5 minutes prior to service.