Eileen A Durkin Marovich

Eileen A. Marovich (nee Durkin) 91, of Tucson, AZ, passed peacefully on October 17, 2014. Born to the late Francis and Loretta Durkin, September 7, 1923 in Chicago, IL. Beloved wife of the late Stanley Marovich, cherished mother of Marlene (Valdis) Ozols, Robert (Nancy) Marovich, and Janet (Marovich) Miller. Devoted grandmother of Robert (Kristin) Kamholz, Susan (Richard) Hasten, John (Michelle) Miller and Kathryn Miller. Adored great-grandmother of Natalie Hasten. Loving sister of Loretta (Hugh) Snow, the late Edward Durkin and Dolores Woods. Loving Aunt, Sister-in-law and friend of many. Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held November 1, 2014, 1:00pm, at Chapel Hill Gardens South Funeral Home, 11333 S Central Avenue, Oak Lawn, IL. Interment was held privately at Chapel Hill Gardens South Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations be made in her name to the American Heart Association. Info: visit www.chapelhillgardenssouth.com or call 708-636-1200

To Eileen A Marovich, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Eileen, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Eileen really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Eileen was born on September 7, 1923 at Chicago Lying-In Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were Francis (Frank) and Loretta Durkin. Eileen was raised on the southwest side of Chicago. Even as a child, Eileen had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Eileen was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Eileen managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Eileen had an older brother, Edward, an older sister, Loretta "Honey" and a younger sister, Dolores "Lori".

All of Eileen's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Eileen experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She took part in the school volleyball team. She was active in her parish youth group. In her spare time she like performing in her local recreation center's theatre group, as well as playing the violin, and going to the church and school dances with her brother.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Eileen was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Eileen simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. Since experience was Eileen's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Languages were her favorite in high school. Eileen attended Loretto Catholic High School through her junior year and graduated from Lindbloom High School in 1940. Eileen attended Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills where she expanded her knowledge in finance and ultimately passed her Real Estate Exam and received her Realtors License.

Eileen never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Eileen to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Eileen was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Eileen utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best childhood friends were Delores Costello and Mary Keeley. Later in life, she became friends with Oscar, Elory, Rose, Sis, Helen,Sally, Al, Joe and too many more to name. Eileen loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Eileen very easy to approach. On March 21, 1942 Eileen exchanged wedding vows with Stanley Marovich at the Justice of the Peace in Chicago, Illinois. They established their home in the Chicago area upon Stanley's return from serving in WWII. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Eileen and Stanley were blessed with two daughters and one son, Marlene, Bob & Jan. They were also blessed with four grandchildren, Bobby, Susan, John & Kathryn; and one great grandchild, Natalie. Eileen had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Eileen's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play.

At work, as in life, Eileen was a real “people person.” She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. When dealing with various projects and problems, Eileen was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Eileen's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see her as an excellent problem solver in her various occupations whether as bookkeeper, real estate agent or tax consultant

Eileen enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Eileen liked creating and making things through sewing, knitting and quilting. Some of her favorite pursuits were golf, bowling, cards & board games.

Eileen felt excited and challenged by sports. In high school, Eileen played volleyball. In her later years her recreational sports included bowling, golf and bocce ball. Eileen was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were football, baseball and golf.

Eileen believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. Her new life involved relocating to Tucson, Arizona where her sister Loretta also resided. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Eileen remained busy with people and projects.

Eileen had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Eileen's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged including the Palos Women's Club and the Kitchen Kookie Kut-ups. Throughout her retirement years, Eileen was an active member of the Red Hat Society, Swinging Singles Golf Club, as well as the Golfing Grannies in Arizona and at the age of 78 got her first "hole in one". She was a member of the Swedish Embroidery group, Bowling League, the Sun City Singles Club, Hiking Club and the Choir. She was also very active in the Sun City Senior Olympics were she won a gold medal.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Eileen recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church in Chicago and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Palos Heights, combining for a total of 50 years. During that time, she was active in Altar Guild and Choir.

It is no surprise that Eileen loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included a trip to Yugoslavia with her husband in the mid-80's, to Italy for her 75th birthday and to Hawaii.

Eileen was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Eileen's favorites was Oreo, her tuxedo cat.

Eileen passed away on October 17, 2014 at Desert Steppes Adult Care in Tucson, Arizona. She is survived by children, Marlene (Valdis), Bob (Nancy) and Jan; her grandchildren Bob (Kristin), Susan (Richard), John (Michelle) and Kathryn. Great grandchild Natalie and her sister Loretta "Honey" (Hugh). Services were held at Chappel Hill Cemetry and Funeral Home. Eileen was laid to rest in Chappel Hill Cemetry.

Eileen brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Eileen A. Marovich lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.