Mari Chambers Obituary

Mari Ann Chambers

Born: Sept. 16, 1923

Died: Oct. 26, 2015

Mari Ann Chambers, 92, passed away in Wheaton, Illinois on October 26, 2015.

She was preceded in death by her husband of forty-one years, William C. Chambers, Jr.; her son, William C. Chambers III; her parents, Frank and Anna (Karnik) Pukys; her sister, Georgie Miller; brothers, Frank, Jr., and Laddy Pukys; half sister, Bess O'Connor; and her good friend, Harry Burrell.

She is survived by her son, Frank W. Chambers; and his wife, Billie Jean (Schulz) Chambers of Stillwater, Oklahoma; her sister-in-law, Colleen Pukys of Oak Brook; her cousin, Joe Spiruta of Albany, Oregon; and her nieces and nephews and their families.

She was born September 16, 1923, in Robertsdale, Alabama. Her family returned to Illinois when she was small and she graduated from Morton High School, going on to earn a B.S. in Elementary Education from Western Illinois State University in 1945. She married William Chambers in Oak Park in June, 1946, and became the first married female teacher in the Oak Park Public Schools system. She taught in Oak Park for some thirty-nine years and earned an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Roosevelt University in 1963. She enjoyed taking classes and earned thirty hours beyond her masters. She retired from Longfellow School in 1984. She was a good driver who commuted between Glen Ellyn and her teaching in Oak Park for some thirty years. The Chambers family moved to Glen Ellyn in 1955 where she lived until moving to the Wyndemere Retirement Community in Wheaton in 2009.

She was a long time member of the First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn and its Mary Martha Circle. She was an avid reader and enjoyed cooking, being a good hostess, and traveling. She also took advantage of Chicago attending the Goodman Theater, the Chicago Symphony, and the Art Institute.

She was an outstanding caregiver for her son, William C. Chambers III during his illness, and the family greatly appreciates the care she received during her illness from those at Westbridge, Wynscape, and CNS Hospice.

A memorial service will be held Friday, October 30, at 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn, 550 N. Main Street, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.