Memorials

Born: January 15, 1928

Died: September 26, 1988

Last Address: 706 N. Wille Street, Mount Prospect, IL

JOHN (Jack) W. MESKE was born in Chicago on January 15, 1928 to parents Bertha (Vachlin) Meske and John Meske. Jack graduated from Lane Tech high school. He served in the U. S. Army two times during the Korean War as a sergeant. On October 1, 1955, Jack married Margaret B. Meske (Gretchen). Together they had two children, Gail Cook and Jody Meske.

Jack lived for 27 years at 706 N. Wille Street in Mount Prospect. He worked in sales and was also a committed member of the Mount Prospect Lions Club from October 1968 until his death. He served as its president from 1979-1980. Additionally, Jack was also involved with the Lions 4th of July events for 15 years.

Jack loved his family and neighbors and the Village of Mount Prospect, for which he worked for three years, was very important to him. On November 6, 1993, a new civic events sign on Northwest Highway was dedicated in Jack’s name.

Jack died on September 26, 1988 at the age of 60.

Born: October 25, 1920

Died: July 10, 2006

Last Address: 11 South Wille Street #403, Mount Prospect, IL

HILDA JANE EMRY LEE born in Canton, Illinois on October 25, 1920 to Lewis Emry and Sarah Louise Van Sickle Emry. She graduated from Canton High School and spent one year at Purdue University. On March 2, 1944, Hilda married Harold Dean Lee in Little Rock, Arkansas. They had one daughter, Betsy Jane Lee (Gregg) Duncan, and one granddaughter, Sarah Lee Duncan. Hilda and Harold were married for 62 years.

Hilda remained busy and active throughout her whole life. She worked as the secretary/treasurer of the Dean Lee Co., Inc. and put in a minimum of 50 hours per week until she was 82 years old. She was also a member of St. Mark Lutheran Church and Zonta International, a professional organization that works to advance the status of women through service and advocacy . In her free time, Hilda enjoyed knitting, embroidery, and gardening, as well as the activities of the Mount Prospect Historical Society.

Hilda moved 17 different times before settling in Mount Prospect in 1958. According to her daughter Betsy, Hilda “definitely considered [Mount Prospect] home.” She spent the final five years of her life living at 11 South Wille Street.

Hilda passed away on July 10, 2006, three months before her 86th birthday.

Born: March 22, 1918

Died: May 16, 2008

Last Address: 4540 Bee Ridge Road; Sarasota, FL

JUNE VIOLET MUCKLE loved her family deeply and was the proud mother of Gary James Muckle (Mary Lynne Hertel) and Ellen June (John Vincent) Cavanaugh. After 43 years in Mount Prospect, June moved to Florida in 2002 to be closer to her daughter’s family, which included her three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

June was born on March 22, 1918, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to parents Bertha H. Matthes (nee Dietrich) and Edward Edwin Matthes. She graduated from Milwaukee’s Washington High School and, on September 2, 1938, married Rev. James B. Muckle in Milwaukee at the Washington Park Presbyterian Church.

In 1959, the Muckles moved to Mount Prospect and June taught high school English at Maine West in Des Plaines for 19 years. In 1961, at the age of 43, June graduated from Lake Forest College, where she was a member of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. She then went on to complete her Masters degree at Northwestern University, earning over 90 hours. Her love of learning continued even after she graduated; June counted reading among her many hobbies.

In addition to her academic accomplishments, June enjoyed traveling, swimming, knitting, rosemaling (a form of Norwegian decorative flower painting), and gardening. Her daughter wrote that “June loved her garden” as well as her time at the Mount Prospect Historical Society. June was a member of the Mount Prospect Presbyterian Church and Delta Kappa Gamma, a professional honor society of women educators.

When she passed away on May 16, 2008, June was 90 years old.