Mary Lynne Cleverdon
September 13,1941 (Concordia, KS) - July 10, 2024 (Springfield, Illinois)
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Parents: Mary and Arne Larson
Children: Joseph Cleverdon and Carol Booth (David Booth) High School Attended: Fenger Academy High School College Attended: College of Wooster, Wooster, OH Occupation: Teacher at Reaves Elementary School, Chicago; Director of Christian Education at Westminster Presbyterian Church; Business Manager for the Medical Humanities Department at SIU School of Medicine |
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Mary Lynne Cleverdon, of Springfield, IL, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2024, with her son, Joseph by her side. Lynne was born on September 13, 1941, to Arne and Mary Larson in Concordia, KS. She grew up in Kansas, Montana, and New Jersey and attended The College of Wooster in Wooster, OH from 1959 - 1963.
Lynne was a devoted mother and friend. While she was an active volunteer and single working mom, her children Carol and Joe came first. Lynne always had time to make lunches, design Halloween costumes, drive carpools, and host sleepovers. She was close to her extended family, sending greeting cards and traveling to be with family whenever possible. She also found time to be a friend to so many, helping however she could, always ready to listen and be present. Just days before her death, Lynne was still seeing friends, listening intently, and sharing her love and concern. She was generous and philanthropic, supporting a wide range of causes including civil rights organizations, museums, performing arts, veterans, environmental organizations, food pantries, and children in need.
As a volunteer, Lynne held leadership roles with Westminster Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Women, Church Women United, P.E.O., and the Academy of Lifelong Learning. She was president of the board at Kemmerer Village, a residential treatment campus for young people sponsored by the Presbyterian Church.
She married David Cleverdon in 1962. During the summer of 1963, the couple traveled by motorcycle from Ohio to California to New Hampshire, finally settling in Chicago, IL where David attended the University of Chicago and Lynne worked in the university’s library. Lynne and David were involved in the Freedom Summer of 1964 in Mississippi focused on helping Black Americans register to vote. After Mississippi, Lynne taught at Reaves Elementary School on the South Side of Chicago. Her daughter, Carol was born in 1968. Lynne and David became active in Chicago and Illinois politics, including the campaign which brought Governor Dan Walker to office. They moved to Springfield, IL in 1973 and a few months later their son, Joseph was born. Lynne was a homemaker and David worked in the Walker administration.
After her divorce in 1976, Lynne became the Director of Christian Education at Westminster Presbyterian Church where she was a member. In 1978, she became the business manager for the Medical Humanities Department at SIU School of Medicine.
While at SIU, Lynne received a Master’s degree in Counseling from University of Illinois Springfield. Her role expanded to include counseling individuals, teaching and evaluating medical students in interpersonal skills, and offering other electives as an adjunct faculty member. She also managed the SIU Pearson Museum. She retired from SIU in 2007.
Lynne dedicated herself to a life of service and will be missed by so many family members, friends, and everyone who knew her. May her memory inspire all of us to be more kind and generous.
Lynne is survived by her son, Joseph Cleverdon; her daughter, Carol Booth (David Booth); her grandchildren, Joshua, Naomi, and Maytal Booth; and her siblings, Arne Larson, Kristen Carlson, Timothy Larson, and Elise Sprague and their families. She is also survived by a large extended family of cousins, nieces, nephews and their children, all of whom she loved very much.
The family will host a memorial service for Lynne on Monday, August 26, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield, IL.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Lynne’s memory may be sent to Kemmerer Village in Assumption, IL (www.kemmerervillage.org) or Contact Ministries in Springfield, IL (www.contactministries.com).
The family is being served by Boardman-Smith Funeral Home, 800 South Grand Avenue West, Springfield, IL.
Lynne was a devoted mother and friend. While she was an active volunteer and single working mom, her children Carol and Joe came first. Lynne always had time to make lunches, design Halloween costumes, drive carpools, and host sleepovers. She was close to her extended family, sending greeting cards and traveling to be with family whenever possible. She also found time to be a friend to so many, helping however she could, always ready to listen and be present. Just days before her death, Lynne was still seeing friends, listening intently, and sharing her love and concern. She was generous and philanthropic, supporting a wide range of causes including civil rights organizations, museums, performing arts, veterans, environmental organizations, food pantries, and children in need.
As a volunteer, Lynne held leadership roles with Westminster Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Women, Church Women United, P.E.O., and the Academy of Lifelong Learning. She was president of the board at Kemmerer Village, a residential treatment campus for young people sponsored by the Presbyterian Church.
She married David Cleverdon in 1962. During the summer of 1963, the couple traveled by motorcycle from Ohio to California to New Hampshire, finally settling in Chicago, IL where David attended the University of Chicago and Lynne worked in the university’s library. Lynne and David were involved in the Freedom Summer of 1964 in Mississippi focused on helping Black Americans register to vote. After Mississippi, Lynne taught at Reaves Elementary School on the South Side of Chicago. Her daughter, Carol was born in 1968. Lynne and David became active in Chicago and Illinois politics, including the campaign which brought Governor Dan Walker to office. They moved to Springfield, IL in 1973 and a few months later their son, Joseph was born. Lynne was a homemaker and David worked in the Walker administration.
After her divorce in 1976, Lynne became the Director of Christian Education at Westminster Presbyterian Church where she was a member. In 1978, she became the business manager for the Medical Humanities Department at SIU School of Medicine.
While at SIU, Lynne received a Master’s degree in Counseling from University of Illinois Springfield. Her role expanded to include counseling individuals, teaching and evaluating medical students in interpersonal skills, and offering other electives as an adjunct faculty member. She also managed the SIU Pearson Museum. She retired from SIU in 2007.
Lynne dedicated herself to a life of service and will be missed by so many family members, friends, and everyone who knew her. May her memory inspire all of us to be more kind and generous.
Lynne is survived by her son, Joseph Cleverdon; her daughter, Carol Booth (David Booth); her grandchildren, Joshua, Naomi, and Maytal Booth; and her siblings, Arne Larson, Kristen Carlson, Timothy Larson, and Elise Sprague and their families. She is also survived by a large extended family of cousins, nieces, nephews and their children, all of whom she loved very much.
The family will host a memorial service for Lynne on Monday, August 26, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield, IL.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Lynne’s memory may be sent to Kemmerer Village in Assumption, IL (www.kemmerervillage.org) or Contact Ministries in Springfield, IL (www.contactministries.com).
The family is being served by Boardman-Smith Funeral Home, 800 South Grand Avenue West, Springfield, IL.