Marjorie Mahoney Obituary

Marjorie Locke Mahoney, age 97, passed away peacefully on November 9th, 2021 surrounded by loving family. Marjorie was born in her family home in Glen Ellyn, Illinois on September 30th, 1924. She was the youngest and last surviving of twelve children born to Richard Foss Locke and Grace Taylor Hench.

As a child Marjorie would frequently travel to Washington, D.C. with her parents. On one trip she met President Calvin Coolidge and was able to make "Silent Cal" smile, a feat not accomplished by many. Marjorie attended Glenbard High School and graduated summa cum laude from Elmhurst College, where she studied political science and biology.

While in college Marjorie spent her summers singing, dancing and waitressing on the SS South American, a cruise ship that cruised the Great Lakes. It was also in college that she met a returning soldier, Harry Thayer Mahoney, and they were happily married for 63 years. While Harry attended law school, Marjorie taught English and PE at Immaculate Conception in Elmhurst, Illinois.

The couple then moved to Washington, D.C. where Marjorie worked at The Pentagon for Edwin Land, the developer of the Polaroid camera. Harry had been recruited by the CIA, where he would go on to spend his entire career as a covert agent. Together they travelled the world, spending years living in Mexico City and Pretoria, South Africa.

Harry and Marjorie co-authored 13 books relating to espionage and history. Marjorie spoke perfect Spanish and was completely bilingual. She volunteered at the elementary school where she worked with Spanish speaking students.

She loved all animals (with a particular fondness for birds). One night at about midnight when it was 60 below zero she went to find a dog she could hear yelping in the cold. She also loved chatting with people, repairing things, brain teasers and anything that exercised her intelligence.

Most of all Marjorie loved her husband, children, their spouses, her grandchildren, their spouses , her great-grandchildren, and many, many nieces and nephews, some of whom she treated as her own children. Marjorie was preceded in death by her loving husband, Harry Mahoney; one loving son, Paul Mahoney of St. Augustine, Florida; her parents and her eleven siblings. Marjorie is survived by her children Elizabeth (Rafael) Zuniga of Wheaton; Matthew (Sara) Mahoney of Powers Lake, Wisconsin; Sarah (Craig) Antas of Wheaton; and daughter-in-law Janelle Venere Mahoney of St. Augustine, Florida.

Also surviving are her 13 loving grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren (whom she adored so much that she left fun mail to be delivered to children not yet born); and many nieces and nephews. There will be a visitation Saturday, November 20th, 2021 from 9-12 at Leonard Memorial Funeral Home, 565 Duane Street, Glen Ellyn, Illinois. She was loved by all and will be missed by many.

There is a raucous trivia game going on in Heaven. Godspeed Marjorie.