Eunice Kilpatrick

SOUTH ELGIN – Eunice Kilpatrick, 92, passed away peacefully Tuesday, May 31, 2011, surrounded by her loved ones.

Eunice Kilpatrick was born Eunice Preisinger in Renville, Minn., on July 13, 1918, to Dr. and Mrs. Wolfgang Preisinger. She attended Carleton College in Minnesota, earning a Phi Beta Kappa, and also played in the college orchestra. She met her future husband, John Robert Kilpatrick, at a summer music camp. They soon married and moved to Texas, where he became a music teacher.

In the early 1940s, she bore two children, Mike and Carol, and also started a teaching career at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in the English Department. She later became the head of the Lower School at St. Mark's Episcopal Day School. A few years later, she became the principal administrator in starting a new Episcopal Day School at what then was called Grace Chapel in Jacksonville, Fla. A few years later, she worked directly for the Episcopal church, traveling to promote and improve their day schools nationwide. Later, she worked closely with her good friend and colleague, J.B. Davis, in both Evansville, Ind., and in Gastonia, N.C., in the administration and teaching roles for start-up private day schools. She also was head of the Lower School at St. Catherine's Episcopal Day School in Richmond, Va. She always loved teaching, and her frequent contacts with past students gave evidence of her success at it. A lecture series at the Gastonia school where she taught honors her by bearing her name.

Eunice retired in the 1980s and lived for many years in Austin, Texas, close to her son, Mike, and his family. During this retirement, she was able to spend many happy hours with her longtime hobbies of knitting and crocheting. Several years in a row, she completed hundreds of toy animals for the Blue Santa Christmas program and was recognized for her humanitarian efforts with an award by the local newspaper.

In 2008, she moved closer to her daughter, Carol, and her family in Elgin, where she was able to be near many other grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her son, Mike, and his wife, Joan, of California; her daughter, Carol Harenza, nee Kilpatrick, and her husband, Frank Harenza of Lakewood; her grandchildren, Michael Harenza and his wife, Kathy, of Whitewater, Wis., Patrick Harenza and his wife, Lisa, of Crystal Lake, and Kelly Kilpatrick Skelton and her husband, Jay Skelton, of Oakland, Calif.; and her great-grandchildren, Trevor, Rachel, Jessi, Kelsy and Frankie Harenza, and Parker Skelton.

The visitation will be from 9 a.m. to noon, with the memorial service at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at Davenport Funeral Home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave. (Route 176), Crystal Lake. There will be no graveside service. Lunch will be provided after the service.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.davenportfh@gmail.com. For additional information, call the funeral home at 815-459-3411.