Mildred Rose McGuire

Mildred Rose McGuire (Millie), died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 101 at her home in River Grove, IL on Friday, May 23, 2025. She was born Mildred Schoo on April 16, 1924 in Elk Grove Village, IL to John (Pa) and Clara (Ma) Schoo, and married Harold (Mac) McGuire on June 15, 1946. He preceded her in death on February 17, 1995.

Mildred graduated from Bensenville Community High School in 1941 in a class of 53 students. Afterward she worked as a secretary in the insurance and aviation industries, notably at Douglas Aircraft and Butler Company.

Mildred is survived by her two sons and their wives, John Michael (Krystyna) and James Stephen (Beatriz), granddaughters Michelle Havlik (husband Mark) and Sherry McGuire, brother-in-law Michael McGuire and his wife Galina, and by a host of loving nieces and nephews and their families on both the Schoo and McGuire side.

In addition to her husband Harold, she was preceded in death by her parents John and Clara Schoo, siblings Eleanor, Irene, Harold and Willard and by some of their children.

At 101 years of age, Mildred was the last connection to that generation of her family, who regularly met for fondly remembered family dinners at the home of Ma and Pa Schoo in Bensenville during the 1950s into the 1970s. That moved her surviving nieces and nephews to seek out her memories of their parents and their early lives together on the farm, as well as reminisce about those childhood family gatherings. She wrote a document containing some of those memories for all to enjoy several years ago.

A big part of her life was devotion to her faith as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, having been baptized on April 29, 1945, just after her 21st birthday. She married Harold a year later. Together they spent more than 100 volunteer hours each month through the first nine years of their marriage preaching the good news of God’s Kingdom and conducting numerous home Bible studies with those who wished to have them. She continued having a share in this work until the end of her life. In addition to teaching her sons Bible principles to live by, along the way she made many life-long friends, who thought of her as a spiritual mom or sister, from those of her own generation down to even very young children in her congregation today. That faith enabled her to view the future with optimism, believing that she will soon see her loved ones again after God’s promised resurrection. Her even-keeled personality was beloved by others as well. Her ability to listen and empathize, combined with her ability to offer practical and spiritual advice when asked, made her a valued friend.

She was beloved by her sons and will be sorely missed.

A live broadcast of Mildred's Memorial Talk will be accessible via Zoom ID 608 020 4581, Password: McGuire.