Mary L Ellingson

Mary Leonard Ellingson, Indianapolis resident since 2007, passed away on January 15, 2016 with her loving husband by her side. She was born on October 8, 1938, in Carroll, Iowa to Raymond and Mildred (Cady) Leonard. Mary is survived by her husband of 55 years, Bill Ellingson; two daughters – Mary Katherine Van Antwerp (husband, Craig) and Anne Elizabeth Marcotte (husband, Miron); three grandchildren, Leah and Matthew Van Antwerp and Nicole Marcotte; and one sister, Shirley Leonard Jensen. Her husband, daughters, and grandchildren were the loved of her life and she treasured every moment spent with them. Mary fit her professional and volunteer work into schedules that would allow her to be available to meet the needs of her husband and daughters and to provide a loving home. She strove to provide nurturing homes for her family in Ames, Iowa; Kent, Washington; Downers Grove and Naperville, Illinois; and travelled extensively in Europe and Asia in support of her husband’s successful career in materials science research. At the time of her death, Mary was a member of the City of Indianapolis Board of Zoning Appeals, the Indianapolis Municipal Band, Caroline Scott Harrison Chapter of DAR, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Association, New Horizons Band, BC Chapter of PEO, St. Luke’s Methodist Church and Orchestra, and book clubs in the Feather Cove I and III subdivisions of Indianapolis. Mary was a retired 12-year Naperville, Illinois, City Councilman, a retired 30-year private music teacher (flute and piano) and a former research psychologist for the YMCA of the USA and in independent consulting. Mary valued community life and was a dedicated community volunteer in the cities where she lived. As a musician, she performed in numerous community orchestras and bands for over sixty years, sometimes appearing as the soloist. Mary was venturesome and promoted new ideas. As president of the Naperville, IL, League of Women Voters, she proposed the first State of the Community Dinner which became an annual even providing an opportunity for community discourse. During her years as Councilman for the City of Naperville, she initiated and actively let the development of the City’s millennium festival, Celebration 2000, which was attended by 85,000 people and featured in the White House Millennium Brochure. Mary also, participated in developing and leading the organization of Naperville’s 175th Anniversary celebration. For these accomplishments and her work on the Council, Mary received a Distinguished Service Award from the Naperville Jaycees; Citizen of the Year Award from the Naperville American Legion; Woman of the Year Award from the Naperville AAUW; leadership awards from the Naperville Exchange Club, Naperville Sunrise Rotary and Celebration 2000 Boards; special recognition from the Illinois Parks and Recreation Movement and the Key to the City of Naperville. Mary received a B.S. degree with honors from Iowa State University and an M.S. degree from George Williams College. During her undergraduate years, she was invited to join Phi Kappa Phi, academic honor society; Kappa Omicron Nu, human services honor society; Mu Phi Epsilon, professional music fraternity; Delta Phi Delta, art honor society; and Pi Beta Phi, social sorority. She was a charter member of the honors program at Iowa State University. Mary valued walks in the woods with her husband, daughters, grandchildren and friends. Family vacations spent in the Rocky Mountains or near an ocean and family times, in general, were her happiest moments. Mary always wished her life would make a small difference. It did.