Mary K. Zopf

Mary Katherine Zopf, 74, of Bourbonnais, passed away Friday (Dec. 27, 2013) at the Miller Center in Kankakee, surrounded by family and friends. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, at Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, Bourbonnais. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4, at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Kankakee. Father Dennis Settles will officiate. Burial will follow at All Saints Cemetery, Bourbonnais. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Hospice of Kankakee Valley or Newspaper In Education (NIE). Mary was born March 22, 1939, in Kankakee, the daughter of Lawrence and Helen (Jarvis) Striegel of Exline. Her husband, James L. Zopf, whom she married on Aug. 8, 1964, in Kankakee, preceded her in death on Sept. 9, 1999. Mary attended St. Patrick High School and later graduated Summa Cum Laude from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She also completed some graduate work at Northwestern University. Mary began her teaching career at Madonna High School in Aurora, as a social studies and English instructor in 1961. Mary went on to teach at Kankakee High School as an English instructor from 1962 to 1966 before moving on to Westview High School from 1967 to 1969. Mary then began her career with Kankakee Community College (KCC) as an Adult Continuing Education English Instructor in 1974. While at KCC, Mary served in various roles pertaining to adult literacy and continuing education programs at the college and its satellite sites. Mary taught adult education at KCC's Dr. King Education Center South from 1983 to 1999 and served as lead teacher there from 1994 to 1999. Mary retired from KCC in 1999 as Coordinator of Adult Literacy Volunteer Projects. From 2000 to 2008 Mary served as Coordinator of the Newspaper In Education (NIE) program based out of The Daily Journal's Manteno office. Mary represented Adult Education on the Chicago Tribune NIE Advisory Board from 1991 to 1996. She was also a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society and an active member of St. Martin of Tours Parish for many years. Mary loved teaching and had a tremendous passion for adult literacy and continuing education and taught English as a second language to many people in the community. She also enjoyed gardening, bike riding, reading, cooking, theater and spending time with her family and friends. Mary also enjoyed traveling, especially to the Northwoods of Wisconsin and to New York City to visit her daughter. Mary will be remembered for her infectious smile, overwhelming kindness and generosity, and love of people. Mary is survived by her daughter, Beth Zopf, of New York City; her son, Edward Zopf (Amy Voss), of Limestone; four nephews, Paul (Lisa) Tutt and David (Dawn) Tutt, of Kankakee, Mark (Allyson) Mickelson, of Chantilly, Va., and Guy Mickelson, of Eagle River, Wis.; one niece, Deborah (Thomas) Dougherty, of Eagle River; and 10 beloved great-nieces and great-nephews. Mary was preceded in death by her parents; infant daughter, Mary Helen Zopf; and stepmother, Thelma (Legg) Striegel. Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Association - www.alzfdn.org/, Hospice of Kankakee Valley - www.hkvcares.og, or Newspapers in Education (NIE). - nieonline.com

Mary K. Zopf

March 22, 1939 - December 27, 2013