Eunice Kilpatrick

EUNICE KILPATRICK

Eunice Kilpatrick was born Eunice Preisinger in Renville, Minnesota, on July 13,1918, to Doctor and Mrs. Wolfgang Preisinger. She attended Carleton College, in Minnesota, earning a Phi Beta Kappa, and also played in the college orchestra. She met her future husband, John Robert Kilpatrick, at a summer music camp. They soon married and moved to Texas, where Bob became a music teacher.

In the early 1940's, she bore her two children, Mike and Carol, and also started a teaching career at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in the English department. She later became the head of the Lower School at St. Mark's Episcopal Day School. A few years later, she became the principal administrator in starting a new Episcopal Day School at what was then called Grace Chapel in Jacksonville, Florida. A few years later, she worked directly for the Episcopal church, traveling to promote and improve their day schools nationwide. Later, she worked closely with her good friend and colleague, J.B. Davis, in both Evansville, Indiana, and in Gastonia, North Carolina, in the administration and teaching roles for start-up private day schools. She was also head of the Lower School at St. Catherine's Episcopal Day School in Richmond, Virginia. Eunice always loved teaching, and her frequent contacts with past students gave evidence of her success at it. A lecture series at the Gastonia school where she taught honors her by bearing her name.

Eunice retired in the 1980's and lived for many years in Austin, Texas, close to her son, Mike, and his family. During this retirement, Eunice was able to spend many happy hours with her long-time hobbies of knitting and crocheting. Several years in a row, she completed hundreds of toy animals for the Blue Santa Christmas program, and was recognized for her humanitarian efforts with an award by the local newspaper.

Recently, in 2008, she moved closer to her daughter Carol and her family in Elgin, Illinois, where she was able to be near many other grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She passed away at the age of 92 on May 31, 2011 peacefully and surrounded by her loved ones. Eunice is survived by her son Mike and his wife Joan of California, and daughter Carol Harenza, nee Kilpatrick and her husband Frank Harenza of Lakewood, Illinois; her grandchildren Michael Harenza and his wife Kathy of Whitewater, Wisconsin, Patrick Harenza and his wife Lisa of Crystal Lake, Illinois, and Kelly Kilpatrick Skelton and her husband Jay Skelton of Oakland California, and great-grandchildren, Trevor, Rachel, Jessi, Kelsy, and Frankie Harenza, and Parker Skelton.

The Memorial Service will be held at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, June 4 at Davenport Funeral Home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Avenue (IL Rt. 176), Crystal Lake, Illinois, 60014 preceded by the visitation from 9am until noon. There will be no graveside service. Lunch will be provided after the service.

Visitation: 9am - 12:30pm, Saturday, June 04, 2011 at Davenport Family Funeral Home, 419 E Terra Cotta Ave (IL Rt 176), Crystal Lake IL

Funeral Service: 12:30pm, Saturday, June 04, 2011 at at the Funeral Home