Thora Jean Saran

Of Arlington Heights

Thora Jean Saran (nee Clark) was born on February 22, 1927 at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois to Clarence E. Clark and Doris M. Clark (nee Hellyer).

She passed away on Friday, September 18, 2020 at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, after having been a patient for the past 2 years at the Lutheran Home, also in Arlington Heights.

While growing up in Oak Park, Thora Jean loved figure skating and horseback riding. Her occasional horse jumping exploits were done without her parents’ knowledge or consent.A 1944 graduate of Oak Park/River Forest High School, Thora Jean (now nicknamed Terry) earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Northwestern University in 1960, and then became a primary school teacher at Noyes School in Evanston. After completing her Master of Arts Degree in Education at Northwestern in 1967, she went on to teach Special Education at New Trier High School until her retirement in the early 1990s. While at New Trier she also lovingly participated in New Trier’s coveted Adviser Program in which a teacher counsels and advises a group of students, meeting daily with them for all 4 years of their high school education.Thora is survived by her loving husband, Sam H. Saran of Arlington Heights. She is also survived by her son, Tad Cook (Cindy) of Chicago, her daughters Leslie Cook (Andy Andrick) of Algonquin and Deborah Cook (David Hoyne) of San Miguel de Allende, MX; her grandchildren Daniel (Melissa) Simon, Jeremy (Alina) Simon, Barbara (Michael) Follett, Jessica (Michael) Ceraldi, Scott (Sandra) Jorgensen; Kristen (Derek) Roberts; and Brandon (Katherine) Cook; and thirteen great-grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her daughter Kathy (John) Jorgensen, and her son William Clark Keepin, as well as her husband of many years, Arthur Charles Levy.In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made by mail to the P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund at 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312, or online at donations.peointernational.org/peo-donation-elf.Additional" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">donations.peointernational.org/peo-donation-elf.Additional information and condolences at www.GlueckertFH.com.Thora" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.GlueckertFH.com.Thora Jean Saran (nee Clark) was born on February 22, 1927 at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois to Clarence E. Clark and Doris M. Clark (nee Hellyer).She passed away on Friday, September 18, 2020 at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, after having been a patient for the past 2 years at the Lutheran Home, also in Arlington Heights.While growing up in Oak Park, Thora Jean loved figure skating and horseback riding. Her occasional horse jumping exploits were done without her parents’ knowledge or consent.A 1944 graduate of Oak Park/River Forest High School, Thora Jean (now nicknamed Terry) earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Northwestern University in 1960, and then became a primary school teacher at Noyes School in Evanston. After completing her Master of Arts Degree in Education at Northwestern in 1967, she went on to teach Special Education at New Trier High School until her retirement in the early 1990s. While at New Trier she also lovingly participated in New Trier’s coveted Adviser Program in which a teacher counsels and advises a group of students, meeting daily with them for all 4 years of their high school education.Thora is survived by her loving husband, Sam H. Saran of Arlington Heights. She is also survived by her son, Tad Cook (Cindy) of Chicago, her daughters Leslie Cook (Andy Andrick) of Algonquin and Deborah Cook (David Hoyne) of San Miguel de Allende, MX; her grandchildren Daniel (Melissa) Simon, Jeremy (Alina) Simon, Barbara (Michael) Follett, Jessica (Michael) Ceraldi, Scott (Sandra) Jorgensen; Kristen (Derek) Roberts; and Brandon (Katherine) Cook; and thirteen great-grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her daughter Kathy (John) Jorgensen, and her son William Clark Keepin, as well as her husband of many years, Arthur Charles Levy.In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made by mail to the P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund at 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312, or online at donations.peointernational.org/peo-donation-elf.Additional information and condolences at www.GlueckertFH.com.