A Mother to All Mary Stewart Burns was born in...
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Notable Women
in Downers Grove History
Many women from Downers Grove led remarkable lives that left a mark on Downers Grove and beyond. Listed below are just a few of those women.
Lilly Karlson Tholin
A Life in Bloom With a name like Lilly, it...
Jessica North MacDonald
Jessica North MacDonald lived a long and accomplished life devoted...
Lucile Bush
Community Leader Descended from One of the First Families to...
Minnie Jones Prince
Minnie Harriet Jones Prince was far more than the wife...
Virginia Allen Stehney
Early Life and Education Virginia Allen Stehney was a pioneering...
Mildred L. Drew
Mildred L. Drew was born in Downers Grove in 1914...
Mary Ellen Young
In 2024, Mary Ellen received the Montrew Dunham award from...
Lisa Rasin
Awarded the 2025 Montrew Dunham Award, Lisa has shared her...
Helen Kenyon
Affectionately known as “Aunt Helen,” Helen Kenyon spent 66 years...
Carol Wandschneider
Carol Wandschneider was a local Downers Grove historian, tireless researcher,...
Pauline Wandschneider
Pauline Wandschneider was a noted local historian, and founder of...
Abigail Stearns Root
Abigail Stearns Root was a pioneer wife and mother. She...
Lottie Holman O’Neill
Lottie O’Neill was the first woman elected to the Illinois...
Anna Parker Paige
Born April 13, 1801, in Vermont, Anna was the daughter...
Montrew Dunham
Montrew Dunham was a local historian and co-author of Downers...
Avis Dodge Blodgett
Avis and her husband Israel were active in the Underground...