Margene Mary Meis

Visitation will be held Thursday, March 16, 2023, from 9-10:30 a.m. at Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 44 S. Mill St., Naperville.

Services begin Thursday, 10:30 a.m. from the funeral home and will proceed to an 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at SS. Peter Paul Catholic Church, 36 N. Ellsworth Street, Naperville.

Interment will follow at SS. Peter Paul Cemetery, Naperville.

Margene was born on a farm at the edge of town in Solon, Jan. 15, 1932 to Mayme and Roy Holubar. She attended the Solon public schools and was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Solon. She played in the school band and on the Solon High School girls basketball team. She was an astute musician and served as organist at the church even when she was in high school. She attended Ottumwa Heights Junior College in Ottumwa, for two years and then Marycrest College in Davenport, graduating in 1954 with a BA degree in Elementary Education and a minor in music. Upon graduation from Marycrest, she entered the Convent of the Visitation in Dubuque. After four years she returned to society and took a job teaching the third grade at Immaculate Conception School in Cedar Rapids. Here she met her future husband, John Meis. They were married at Immaculate Conception Church in Cedar Rapids, on Aug. 12, 1961, had two children, Maria (Scott) Pyles and Aaron (Cyncie), and eventually were granted four grandchildren: twins, Caroline and Anna, and John Meis, and Andrew Pyles.

They moved to Oak Lawn, Ill., in 1962. Margene spent three years teaching third grade at Homewood School in Oak Lawn, Ill., and John taught at Brother Rice High School in Chicago. In 1965 they moved to Naperville, Ill., where John got a job teaching at Naperville Community High School. After raising their children, Margene also acquired a job teaching in the Naperville Schools, District 203. She taught Kindergarten for 20 years, retiring in 1995. Her first placement was at Maplebrook School and her second placement was at Meadow Glens School. In 2017 they moved next door to Lisle, Ill., to Villa St. Benedict, a senior living center.

Margene loved reading the Tribune, cross-word puzzles, music, teaching and her family. Her children were her pride and joy, and as they grew and developed, her dedication was rewarded. She taught piano to students in the neighborhood when her children were very young, and she also had a very productive garden in the backyard where she exercised her farming skills. She was an excellent amateur dietitian and saw that the family ate a very healthy diet. She was also very active. She walked for 30 to 45 minutes, at a very brisk pace, five days a week, rain, snow, or shine, for many years until heart and balance problems caught up with her. She was also a person of deep faith. After she retired from teaching, she attended Mass daily at SS. Peter and Paul Church and continued to do so when they moved to Villa St. Benedict until she could no longer get out of bed.

She is survived by her husband, John, her children, Maria (Scott) Pyles and Aaron (Cyncie) Meis; grandchildren, Caroline, Anna, John Meis and Andrew Pyles; her brother, Melvin Holubar of Marion, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Margene’s memory may be made to: Villa St. Benedict Foundation, 1920 Maple Ave., Lisle, IL 60532, 630-725-7011, https://www.villastben.org/foundation.php or SS. Peter Paul Catholic Church, 36 N. Ellsworth Street, Naperville, IL 60540, (630) 355-1081, https://www.sspeterandpaul.net/

For information, please call (630)355-0213 or visit www.friedrich-jones.com