Mary Lin Meyers

Mary Lin Meyers, nee Hagi, 87, longtime resident of Northfield, Illinois at rest June 1, 2023. Beloved wife to the late Anthony “Tony” P. Meyers. Loving mother of Valerie (John) Lochner and Craig (Imelda) Meyers. Proud grandmother to Brian, Jeffrey and Alexa Lochner and step-grandmother to Alexander Franco. Dear sister of the late Ivy Hagi Cameron and Harold Hagi.

Mary Lin was born on August 26, 1935 in Ransom, IL to the late Ival Hagi and Mildred Eggleston Hagi Greener and step-daughter to the late Edward Greener. 

She was raised in Streator, IL and graduated from Streator High School in 1953. She attended the University of Illinois and graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1957 with a degree in Education. She was an active member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and university theater.

Mary Lin married Tony, a hometown boy, in August 1957. They were married for 63 years, until Tony's passing in September 2020.

Mary Lin began her teaching career in Fort Wayne, IN, where she taught for one year. She then taught kindergarten in Urbana, IL for two years before Tony and she moved, in 1961, to Los Angeles, CA where their daughter was born. Seven months later, they moved to Chicago, IL to be closer to family. They lived on the IIT Research Institute campus, where Tony was employed and Mary served as a campus housing assistant resident advisor, and where they later welcomed their son in 1963. They relocated to their “first and forever” home in Northfield in 1966. Mary Lin stayed home to raise their two children until 1970 when she joined the faculty of Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth, IL. There, she taught both junior and senior kindergarten for 24 years, until her retirement in 1994. Mary Lin credits her mother, who was also a teacher, for her love of and devotion to young children.

Mary Lin adored all living things. She had many beloved cats over the years and would spend hours watching the wild birds, rabbits and squirrels that she fed outside her family room window. She nurtured her many indoor plants and enjoyed gardening and taking in the beauty of her outdoor flowers and landscape.

Mary Lin enjoyed shopping in pursuit of the perfect outfit, furniture piece or farmers market find. She found joy in live theater and music and loved to play the piano. She also enjoyed visiting many historic sites and her travels to several Caribbean destinations.

Mary Lin had many cherished relationships in her life, including her high school friend group, with whom Tony and she went on many trips, and her Joseph Sears teacher friend group with whom she often socialized.

Mary Lin doted over her grandchildren. She loved to visit Connecticut, where she would often take care of her grandkids for extended stays, which allowed her to build her own special relationship with each.

Mary Lin and her family would like to express their eternal gratitude to longtime friend Sheran Fiedler, sainted volunteer and newfound friend LeeAnn Rechtin and in-home caregivers Emma and Sophia who all provided care, comfort and love in Mary Lin’s latter days and months.