Frances “Helen” Mavis

Frances “Helen” Mavis, 88, died Friday, July 24, 2015, at Avonlea Cottage, Milan. 

She was born April 9, 1927, to Donald and Frances Blodgett in Woodstock. 

On Oct. 4, 1947, she married Stanley Mavis in Woodstock.

She was a graduate of Woodstock High School and a part-time student at McHenry County College in her later years. As a young woman she worked at Woodstock Typewriter and AT&T in Chicago. 

She met her future husband at the McHenry roller rink when he returned from World War II. After they married, they were members of Grace Lutheran Church, Woodstock, for more than 50 years. She was the secretary for a number of years at Grace Lutheran Church. She finished her professional career as the secretary at Clarence Olson School for 18 years. She was a member of Naomi Circle, and a Woodstock book club. She was a Girl Scout leader, and a volunteer at the McHenry County Hospital gift shop. She played the piano beautifully and every day filled the house with music. She enjoyed traveling with her husband, family and friends and golfing at the Woodstock Country Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; a brother and sister-in-law, Donald (Elaine) Blodgett; her  step-father, Peter Brahy; and a son-in-law, William Miller.

Survivors include two daughters, Carol (Ed) Mueller, Milan, and Nancy Miller, Montgomery; a niece, Barbara (Terry) Winters, Crystal Lake; a nephew, the Rev. Robert (Beth) Mavis, Hermitage, Penn.; and a sister-in-law, Violet Mavis, Crystal Lake.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. until the funeral at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at the Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, 201 E. 4th Ave., Milan. Burial will be in the Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island, alongside her husband. 

Memorials can be made in her name to the Alzheimer’s Association in care of Avonlea Cottage, 2021 First Street E., Milan, IL 61264.