Mary Ellen Golich

1944 - 2022

BORN

1944

DIED

2022

FUNERAL HOME

Curley Funeral Home - Chicago Ridge

6116 West 111th Street

Chicago Ridge, Illinois

Mary Golich Obituary

Name: Visitation for Mary Ellen Golich
Start: 2022-01-29T17:00:00.000Z
End: 2022-01-29T18:00:00.000Z
Location: Curley Funeral Home

Mary Ellen Golich, born September 14, 1944, formerly of Palos Heights, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on January 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona. Mary Ellen was the beloved daughter of the late John J. and Elinor Quinlan Golich, sister of the late John Xavier Golich, dear aunt to Nate (Jill) and Scott (Christin) Golich, fond cousin of Dennis (Shirley) Quinlan and Michael (Marian) Doyle and loving godmother to Amy Quinlan and Liam Doyle. Mary Ellen was a graduate of Little Flower Grammar and High School, received her BA degree from Rosary College and her MAT from Emory University. She spent her career teaching French at Homewood-Flossmoor High School from 1975-2000. After learning of her passing, the high school said, "Mary Ellen dedicated 25 years of service to our high school, and we are so appreciative of the positive impact she made on so many students' lives while teaching in our World Languages Department." She led class learning experiences to France and belonged to the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF). Mary Ellen was known as "Sis" to all family as she was a wonderful friend, ally, and sounding board. She loved horses, particularly Saddlebreds, and participated in many events, winning numerous awards for years in the Mid-America Horse Show Association. She was also a dog lover and owned many Schnauzers over the years. She enjoyed family gatherings, dining out with friends, and being in the outdoors. Visitation Saturday, January 29,2022, at 11:00a.m. followed by memorial service at 12 p.m. at Curley Funeral Home, 6116 West 111th Street, Chicago Ridge, Illinois. A live stream of the memorial service is available by using this link: https://www.asimplestreaming.com/megolich; Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. If desired, donations can be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) website or to the Field of Dreams Horse Rescue and Adoption (45W223 Lees Road, Maple Park, Illinois 60151, 630-664-4270). For Funeral info (708) 422-2700, or www.curleyfuneralhome.com

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Published by Chicago Tribune on Jan. 23, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Mary Golich

3 Entries

Judy/Judith H Bello

January 17, 2023

My BFF Linda (Lindy) Stegall Weigel shared almost everything, including love for two French teachers at North Springs High School in Sandy Springs GA (north of Atlanta). Mary Ellen Golich and Sallie Purvis were kindred spirits with each other and with us. Far beyond the bounds of any reasonable expectation of any teacher, Mary Elleln and Sallie offered to take us on a senioir-year road trip to Daytona Beach for spring break. Being with them, treating us as if we were adults, was a heavenly gift.

Sadly, we lost touch with Mary Ellen for many years. Then out of the blue, Lindy was able to find her. Such a shame, we found how to contact her only on the very day before she died. Truly a shame for us.

We then also searched for Sallie Purvis. When no one responded from any of the Atlanta addresses we had, we tried her alma mater, Hollins. It turned out we had missed Sallie Cox Purvis Smith by many years, as she was graduated from this planet in 2003.

Mary Ellen and Sallie gave us joys aplenty and shared their love of adventure. If only everyone could have teachers like them sparking intellectual curiosity, empathy and a zest for each and every day.

Judy Bello

Judy Hippler Bello

Planted Trees

Judith Ann Hippler Bello

January 30, 2022

Before Mary Ellen (Miss Golich to me) was beloved at Homewood-Flossmore HS, she was likewise beloved at North Springs High School in Sandy Springs, Georgia in the mid-to-late sixties. That may have been her first job after earning her MAT at Emory.

She and her French-teaching colleague, Sallie Purvis, were my favorite high school teachers. Both exuded warmth, wit, generosity, intelligence and joie de vivre. Both my BFF, Linda/Lindy Lee Stegall Weigel, and I adored them.

Ironically, we were chatting this morning and recalling what gifts they were in our lives. Lindy had tried to discover "Miss Golich" online for years, repeatedly. While we reminisced, she googled Miss Golich and, at last found her, only to learn that she had died earlier this month and that her funeral service was just yesterday.

So narrow a miss, but she'll live forever in our hearts and memories. Rest in peace, Miss Golich, and thanks everlasting for investing in and teaching us and so, so many other students.

PS Her just judgment of my spoken French improved from "vaguely Chinese?" to "at least an attempt at a Romance-language sound."

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