January
13,
1911
13,
1911
December
05,
2012
05,
2012
Jane Ripley McGuinn, 101, of Leland, passed away Wednesday, December 5, 2012. She was born January 13, 1911 the daughter of Allen and Charlotte (Plamondon) Ripley. Jane was the great granddaughter of Mackin-Plamondon family of Leland and Chicago. The Mackin family came to Leland in the 1850s and purchased the piece of property that came to be known as Villa Farm in 1865. Jane’s grandparents Mary Mackin and her husband C. A. Plamondon lived in Chicago in the winter, but spend every summer at their beloved home in Leland.
Like her grandparents, Jane grew up living in Chicago in the winter and spending the summer months in Leland. Jane attended the Francis W. Parker School and the Chicago School for Girls in Chicago. She went to Northwestern University where she was on the women’s track team as a high jump specialist. As a young women Jane was an impressive rider of hunters and jumpers. She exhibited as an amateur at all of the major livestock shows throughout the Midwest. She rode horses for many well-known Chicago people like the Thompson and McCormack Families.
In 1946 Jane began working as an administrative assistant at the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago where her children attended. During her 60 years at the school she supported students, parents, faculty and staff. She finally retired from Parker in 1992 and moved permanently to Leland.
Throughout her life Jane remained active in the horse world. She spent many years showing Hackney Show ponies around the State of Illinois. Later she rode her horses on all of the trail rides in the area. She was one of the founding members of the WaaShee Riders Trail Ride Association in Illinois. She joined the Michigan Trail Rider’s Association in 1963 and crossed the State of Michigan on her horse twice a year until 1985. Each year she rode extensively through the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois.
Jane was always interested in the global world. She went with one of the first agricultural delegations to visit Russia in the 1960s, and was one of the first Americans to visit China in the 1970s, making two visits there with the Chicago Farmers Agricultural Delegation.
When Jane moved to Leland she was actively involved in LaSalle County 4-H Horse and Pony Committee. She helped both children and parents have a successful experience during the Ottawa 4-H Horse and Pony Shows. In 2003 Jane opened the Reading Room Free Library in Leland until illness in 2009 forced her to close the library.
Jane was an unforgettable woman, a dedicated grandmother and a force to be reckoned with who will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by three children, J. Michael (Liz) McGuinn of Davey FL, Joan Ripley McGuinn of Georgetown, KY, Molly McGuinn Donahue (John Pajkos) of Chicago, IL and Leland, IL; seven grandchildren, Bradford (Moira) McGuinn of Miami, FL, Ripley McGuinn, of Honolulu Hawaii, Jennifer (Dan) Wells Kuykendall of Phoenix AZ, Matthew Wells, James Wells, Charlotte Freeman of Livingston MT, J. Adam (Darla) Donahue of Marshfield MO, and Jason D. (Jackie) Donahue of Leland; Great-grandchildren, Kalya and Kalayn Kuykendall of Phoenix AR, Rylie Donahue of Leland IL, Maile McGuinn and Jade McGuinn of Honolulu.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter Lynn McGuinn Wells, two grandchildren, Patrick Freeman and Michael Freeman.
Celebration of Life services will be held Saturday, December 15, 2012 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at her home Villa Farm 510 E. Railroad Ave. Leland IL. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Unity Hospice, LaSalle County 4-H, the Scholarship Fund at Francis W. Parker School, or charity of one’s choice.
Like her grandparents, Jane grew up living in Chicago in the winter and spending the summer months in Leland. Jane attended the Francis W. Parker School and the Chicago School for Girls in Chicago. She went to Northwestern University where she was on the women’s track team as a high jump specialist. As a young women Jane was an impressive rider of hunters and jumpers. She exhibited as an amateur at all of the major livestock shows throughout the Midwest. She rode horses for many well-known Chicago people like the Thompson and McCormack Families.
In 1946 Jane began working as an administrative assistant at the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago where her children attended. During her 60 years at the school she supported students, parents, faculty and staff. She finally retired from Parker in 1992 and moved permanently to Leland.
Throughout her life Jane remained active in the horse world. She spent many years showing Hackney Show ponies around the State of Illinois. Later she rode her horses on all of the trail rides in the area. She was one of the founding members of the WaaShee Riders Trail Ride Association in Illinois. She joined the Michigan Trail Rider’s Association in 1963 and crossed the State of Michigan on her horse twice a year until 1985. Each year she rode extensively through the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois.
Jane was always interested in the global world. She went with one of the first agricultural delegations to visit Russia in the 1960s, and was one of the first Americans to visit China in the 1970s, making two visits there with the Chicago Farmers Agricultural Delegation.
When Jane moved to Leland she was actively involved in LaSalle County 4-H Horse and Pony Committee. She helped both children and parents have a successful experience during the Ottawa 4-H Horse and Pony Shows. In 2003 Jane opened the Reading Room Free Library in Leland until illness in 2009 forced her to close the library.
Jane was an unforgettable woman, a dedicated grandmother and a force to be reckoned with who will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by three children, J. Michael (Liz) McGuinn of Davey FL, Joan Ripley McGuinn of Georgetown, KY, Molly McGuinn Donahue (John Pajkos) of Chicago, IL and Leland, IL; seven grandchildren, Bradford (Moira) McGuinn of Miami, FL, Ripley McGuinn, of Honolulu Hawaii, Jennifer (Dan) Wells Kuykendall of Phoenix AZ, Matthew Wells, James Wells, Charlotte Freeman of Livingston MT, J. Adam (Darla) Donahue of Marshfield MO, and Jason D. (Jackie) Donahue of Leland; Great-grandchildren, Kalya and Kalayn Kuykendall of Phoenix AR, Rylie Donahue of Leland IL, Maile McGuinn and Jade McGuinn of Honolulu.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter Lynn McGuinn Wells, two grandchildren, Patrick Freeman and Michael Freeman.
Celebration of Life services will be held Saturday, December 15, 2012 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at her home Villa Farm 510 E. Railroad Ave. Leland IL. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Unity Hospice, LaSalle County 4-H, the Scholarship Fund at Francis W. Parker School, or charity of one’s choice.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jane R. Mcguinn, please visit our flower store.