The Downers Grove Historical Society is pleased to announce that Lois Sterba has been selected as the Historical Society’s 2016 Historian of the Year. Since moving to Downers Gove in 1991, Lois has dedicated countless hours to preserving and promoting the history of Downers Grove.
Lois majored in history and enjoyed many years teaching elementary students before retiring from teaching in 2008. She now enjoys teaching Downers Grove 2nd graders about Downers Grove History in a special history field trip every year which includes a bus tour around town and a walking tour of the Main Street Cemetery.
Lois is current President of the Oak Hill/Oak Crest Cemetery Foundation (under DG Township guidance) which works to restore and improve the grounds and the information available for this historic cemetery. She recently assisted in an inventory of these grounds and completed research needed to create an educational tri-fold publication about the cemetery. Lois has completed extensive research on the Main Street Cemetery ‘residents’ which is being used by the Historical Society to create a self-guided, interactive walking tour of the Main Street Cemetery. Lois is frequently invited to give power point presentations at the DG Library and elsewhere on Downers Grove history and important Downers Grove historical figures. She has also written articles for the magazines of the DuPage County and Illinois Genealogical Societies.
Lois is a volunteer at the Red Barn Antique Store which is part of the Oak Trace Senior Living Community endowment program and is a volunteer docent at the Museum. She is a board member and treasurer of the Downers Grove Historical Society with the special responsibility of monitoring the restoration and maintenance efforts of our historic Main Street Cemetery.
Lois lives in Downers Grove with her husband and continues to be an invaluable asset to Downers Grove history preservation, promotion, and education.
