Dr. Eugenia Brackenridge

1942 - 2020

Dr. Eugenia "Genie" Brackenridge of Sugar Grove, Il, passed away on June 17, 2020, surrounded by her family knowing that she was loved. She was born in Taylor, Texas, Dec. 8, 1942 to John Adams Brackenridge III and Eloise Wilson Brackenrdge. She is survived by one sister, Dr. Eloise Brackenridge (Wilbert Vorwerk), her former husband, Dr. Jeffries Eilert, one daughter, Dr. Eloise Brackenridge Eilert (Dr. Elmer Linboom) and three grandchildren, Walker, Hunter, and Eloise (LuLu) Linboom.

Genie was a great beauty in all aspects of mind, body, and spirit. After graduating from Taylor High School, she attended the University of Texas, receiving a Bachelors', Masters' and PhD degrees, with a specialization in botany. She received many honors there, including membership in Sigma Xi and a myriad of merit-based grants and scholarships. Education was always incredibly important to her, and she continued throughout her life to pursue other educational opportunities, including receiving certifications in Financial Planning and Hazardous Waste Disposal. She also attended many annual meetings and lectures in her field and interests. She began her teaching career at Bee County Community College, in Beeville, TX, but then began teaching at Waubonsee Community College when her family moved to Illinois from Texas. Then, she took time off from working to focus on her family for a while, but later decided to dip her toe into the fast-paced world of finances, and became a stockbroker and financial planner with Oberweis Securities. But her heart was always in education, so when an opportunity arose for her to return to teaching at Waubonsee Community College, she took the chance. She finally retired from teaching microbiology as a full professor in 2012.

Even before Title IX guaranteed women could play high school sports, Genie was a fierce competitor in basketball and tennis. While at the University of Texas, she was selected as one of the "Ten Most Beautiful," possessing a classic, elegant sense of style. She was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, the Orange Jackets, and many other honorary positions, both social and academic. She was introduced to society at Buccaneer Days in Corpus Christi, at Fiesta in San Antonio,and at the Aqua Festival in Austin.

She loved to travel, wandering far and wide on five different continents and their islands. As long as she was able, she always enjoyed exploring nature and seeing as many varied ecosystems as possible. Her friends and family loved her dry wit, her wonderful stories and anecdotes. She was a long-time member of the DAR, the Tuesday Garden Club of Aurora, the Minerva Coterie, and the Child Welfare Society of Aurora, Illinois.

Genie loved her family; both present and past. She was an avid collector of family genealogy and mythology, and could regale her living family with wonderful stories of family gone by, be it their coming to America during the second landing at Jamestown or going to Texas with the first 300 families that followed Stephen Austin into Mexican-owned Texas. Her light and love will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Eventually, a memorial will be scheduled, but even Genie would not approve of a get-together of her friends and family during these trying times. Notification will be forthcoming.

Arrangements were handled by The Healy Chapel, Sugar Grove, IL. To sign the online guestbook please visit www.healychapel.com. 630-466-1330