Mildred L. Drew was born in Downers Grove in 1914 and raised by her father and grandparents, Matthew A. Lamb and Luella Lyon Roe Lamb, after her mother, Olive Lamb Drew, died during the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1918. She spent most of her life in the Carpenter Street home her grandfather built in 1888—today a designated village landmark.
A gifted teacher and counselor, Mildred earned her degrees at Cornell College in Iowa and Northwestern University in Evanston. She went on to teach English and serve as a girls’ counselor in Elmhurst, Illinois, where she became known as a thoughtful and encouraging mentor to her students.
Mildred came from a family with deep musical roots. Her brother, Donald, was organist at the First Congregational Church for nearly 50 years. Mildred sang with the Downers Grove Choral Society, served on the board of the Downers Grove Concert Society, and for many years was active in the Congregational Church alongside her brother. She was also a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, tracing her family’s lineage back to the nation’s earliest days.
Her commitment to service extended beyond the classroom. She volunteered at Good Samaritan Hospital, supported environmental causes, and gave generously to programs that helped children in need. She was also known for her love of cats, often opening her home to strays. After her retirement, she enjoyed traveling to places such as England and Hawaii.
In later years, Mildred returned to the First United Methodist Church, where she had first worshiped as a child. Together, she and her brother Donald chose to leave their most enduring legacy to that church: upon Mildred’s passing in 2012, the Drew family home was donated to support its music program. Proceeds from the sale created a fund that continues to provide live orchestral accompaniment for the Chancel Choir’s annual cantatas—enriching worship and sustaining the Drews’ love of music for future generations.
Those who knew Mildred remembered her as a woman of warmth, kindness, and quiet strength—a person who touched many lives with her generosity and her willingness to listen. She passed away on November 25, 2012, just weeks before her 99th birthday, and rests at Oak Hill Cemetery beside her brother Donald and other family members.
