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Marie J. Splinter

Marie J. Splinter, 91, of Woodstock, died Saturday, May 2, 2015, at Hearthstone Manor.

She was born Aug. 13, 1923, to Arthur and Helen (Yates) Van Fleet in Plano.

On May 1, 1971, she married Leslie E. Splinter in Woodstock.

After attending Aurora College, she worked at a munitions plant during World War II. After moving to Woodstock, she worked as a librarian at Northwood Junior High School. Then she worked for more than 20 years at Hearthstone Manor, starting long before the organization was named Hearthstone Communities.

She volunteered at Woodstock Food Pantry and was an active and much-loved member of First Presbyterian Church, Woodstock. She loved to socialize, whether it be with the Friday morning ladies group or the NOW dinners at her church or the lunch bunch, the exercise group or book club from the Village or just hanging out for coffee klatch at T&C. If it was possible, she wanted to be a part of it.  Marie would walk any place that she did not absolutely have to drive. Her favorite saying was, “use it or lose it.”

When she was younger, she traveled. She still enjoyed a Sunday afternoon ride to Lake Geneva for a Dairy Queen or anywhere her “chauffer” Dale might drive her. But give her a good book and a nice sunny spot to sit and read, and she was more than content. She just couldn’t get enough sunshine.

Survivors include her sister, Polly Peterson of Turlock, Calif.; a nephew, Larry Dowey, Harvard; a niece, Patty (Bob) Miro, Lake Zurich; their daughters, Megan and Jessica; and several other nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband on July 26, 1979; her sisters, Doris Van Fleet, in infancy, Jane Guttschow, Gladys Lackner and her twin sister, Marion Dowey; and her brother, the Rev. Harry B. Van Fleet.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, May 16, at First Presbyterian Church, 2018 N. Route 47, Woodstock. She donated her body to science. 

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church.

Arrangements were made by Saunders & McFarlin Funeral Home, Harvard.

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