Marlene Kay Bawden

Of Huntley

Marlene Kay Bawden, 74, passed away on February 9, following a protracted battle with Alzheimer’s. It was an unfair fight from the outset, but it was only the final chapter of a much longer story, a compilation of experiences collected over the course of a lifetime.

She was born in Bamburg, Germany on September 23, 1949 to Ralph and Margot Stilley. Her father was in the military, and, as a result, her family frequently relocated. Marlene left Germany as a young child and acclimated to life in Colorado, Massachusetts, Alaska and, eventually, Illinois. She shared her early years with her brothers, Andrew and Ralph, and her beloved younger sister, Ramona.

Marlene found her professional calling in elementary education. She graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1970 and began a decades-long teaching career. Soon after accepting a position as an elementary special education teacher in Highland, Illinois, Marlene met Don, the high school band director who would become her husband of more than 51 years. Don and Marlene married in 1972 and built a life together in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, where they welcomed their daughter, Heather, and their son, Brett.

Marlene was an avid gardener, and she found peace and happiness in the abundance of colorful flowers that surrounded her home. She eventually brought her green thumb to work, creating a garden club for the students at Nathan Hale Elementary School and supporting the club until her retirement in 2004.

She was thrilled when her family expanded to include a daughter-in-law, Sarah, and a son-in-law, Barry, but the greatest joy of Marlene’s life arrived with the birth of her grandchildren, Colin, Miles and Reid. There was nothing that Marlene loved more than being a grandma.

So, who was Marlene? A daughter, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a sister. A sister-in-law to Roberta and Brian and an aunt to Kathryn and Sarah. A teacher and a Brownie troop leader. A woman rarely seen without her purse and a fresh application of lipstick. A connoisseur of mochas who otherwise detested milk. A retiree who crocheted baby booties for the local hospital. A lovely lady who can’t be reduced to six paragraphs. Marlene is both missed and remembered. Her immediate family will celebrate her life in a private memorial service.