Lillian A. Hird

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Lillian A. Hird, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

She was the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Beck. Raised on an Illinois farm, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Lillian was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Lillian was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Lillian was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Lillian also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Lillian was raised with five siblings. She had brothers; Edward & Robert and sisters; Katherine, Agnes, Rose. Lillian was the second youngest. She was constantly involved in activities with her family. Lillian and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, Lillian was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Lillian was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Lillian was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Lillian took part in a number of activities as a child. She took part in baseball, with her brothers and sisters. In her spare time she liked to read books, play with dolls and dress up.

Lillian enjoyed learning. As a young woman she always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Lillian was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Lillian was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from Mallinkrodt High School in 1947. Lillian enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. Her favorite classes in high school were English and math. Lillian graduated with straight A's.

Most folks would say that Lillian was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Lillian was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Lillian best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Lillian kept. While growing up, her best friend was her sister Agnes. She also hung out with those who would eventually become her sister-in-laws and cousin-in-laws.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Lillian. On May 30, 1952 Lillian married Virgil Harold Hird at St. Norbert Catholic Church of Northbrook, Illinois. She was totally committed to Virgil and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Lillian naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Lillian disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Lillian was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Lillian was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Lillian was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Lillian and Virgil were blessed with six children; Deborah, Sharon, Pamela, Charles, Jacqueline and Angela.

If you gave Lillian a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Lillian was always on task. Without hesitation, Lillian could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Certainly her primary occupation was as a homemaker and as a mother. She was, however, also employed for a time in real estate, as a licensed day care provider, in a beauty salon, as a newspaper editor and for a time kept inventory at PDQ Printing Co. During that time, Lillian excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Lillian was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Lillian had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Lillian liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Lillian's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Lillian preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were knitting, sewing, cooking,playing cards & board games, crafts and playing the accordian. Lillian was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes. Lillian and Virgil enjoyed getting dressed up to go ballroom dancing on a Saturday night.

Due to her excellent organizational skills, Lillian was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which she belonged. Lillian could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Lillian was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. In high school, Lillian was a member of the Glee Club.

Lillian was active in the community. She was practical and grounded and based her decisions on first hand experience. She was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Politically, Lillian was involved in the Cook County Republican party in the 1960s and 1970s.

An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, her faith was important to Lillian. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She was a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. During that time and throughout her life, she was active in many facets of the church. Her life was a constant vigil of prayer. Lillian made rosaries and scapulars, visited prisons to hand out rosaries, participated in prayer circle, contributed to PADS, and drove for the food drive.

Doing things to help others seemed to come naturally to Lillian. She never set out to gain individual recognition, but the praise and accolades given her for her many and varied efforts throughout her life were well deserved. Some of her most prestigious awards included "Best Mom", awarded to Lillian by her children.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Lillian had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included cruises, Florida and visits to family and friends in Iowa.

When Lillian's retirement finally arrived in 1979, she was well prepared. She had taken the time to learn about her various options and chose her course wisely. Her new life involved relocating to Florida. This relocation only lasted about six months, though, as Lillian missed her children and grandchildren so much that she moved back to Illinois. In retirement, she found new pleasure in spending lots of time with children and grandchildren and staying active in the church. Even in retirement, Lillian continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Lillian was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Lillian was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Lillian Hird was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Lillian. She will be missed.

Lillian A. Hird nee Beck 81. Beloved wife of the late Virgil, devoted mother of Deborah Rada, Sharon (Paul) Rittgarn, Pamela (Daniel ) Hecht, Charles Hird, Jacqueline (Matthew) Claus, Angela (Gary) McCrea; Loving grandmother of 25 and great grandmother of ll; Dear sister of Kay Henderson and Robert (Alice) Beck fond aunt of many. Funeral Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 9:15am from the Blake-Lamb Funeral Home 5015 Lincoln ( ½ mile South of Ogden Ave Rt 34) Lisle to St Joan of Arc Catholic Church Mass 10:00 am. Interment Warrenville Cemetery. Visitation Wednesday, February 9, 2011 from 3 to 8pm. In Lieu of flowers memorials may be made to St Joan of Arc Adopt a Student 4913 Columbia Ave Lisle Ill 60523.

For more information, call the funeral home at 630-964-9392