Madelynne M. Lillybeck

Moline, Illinois Madelynne M. Lillybeck, 75, of Moline, a local teacher and amateur paleontologist, died Saturday, August 10, 2002 at home. Services are 10 a.m. Friday at Trimble Funeral Home, 601 21st Street, Moline, with burial services to follow. Visitation is 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Trimble's. Memorials may be made to Arrowhead Ranch, a private facility for troubled male youth, 12200 104th Street, Coal Valley, IL, 61240. Madelynne McHenry was born Nov, 12, 1926, in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., daughter of Lloyd Alvin McHenry and Clarice Elizabeth Lott. She married Norman Paul Lillybeck, her college sweetheart, on January 30, 1949, in Chicago. After graduating from Ottawa University, Ottawa, Kan., in 1948, Mrs. Lillybeck began a 30-year career as a teacher, with interruptions to raise her children. Most of that career was spent in the Davenport Community School District, where she worked for 21 years as a business, typing and computer skills instructor at J.B. Young Junior High, Central High School and Davenport North High School. She retired in 1990. Don Fisher, principal at J.B. Young and Central during Mrs. Lillybeck's tenure at both schools, said her influence on students, teachers and administrators was remarkable. "Madelynne was an outstanding teacher whose influence with students extended far beyond the walls of the classroom," Mr. Fisher said. "Her loyalty to the school and the faculty, and her commitment to excellence in education set her apart from most teachers." Expectation for excellence from her students was a hallmark of Mrs. Lillybeck's career as an educator. She was not a fan of mediocrity. "Students held her in very high regard," said former colleague Frank Rasmussen, now a principal in Tempe, Ariz. "She had high expectations for her students and she set high standards, but she was about more than that. She also did everything she could to help her students achieve." Former student Jamie Williams, San Francisco, who went on to enjoy a highly successful career as a National Football League tight end and journalist, credited Mrs. Lillybeck with a significant role in his life. "She was amazing," Mr. Williams said. "She was tough, tough in a way that you understood. Her whole deal was to prepare you for life. It's been more than 25 years since I was her student, and I can still remember her as clear as today. She was a legacy, man." Former student Bill Molis, Davenport, now a mechanical engineer, also said Mrs. Lillybeck had a significant influence on him. "She believed that there was a right way to do things in life, and she tried to instill that belief in her students," Mr. Molis said. "She had a way of elevating the class to a higher level. She made a difference with me, and when I think back of all the teachers I had throughout my education, I always remember her first." Mrs. Lillybeck's energy went beyond the classroom. She had a lifelong passion for fossils and paleontology, and in 1978 joined the Mid-America Paleontology Society (MAPS). She was instrumental in growing that organization from a small, regional group of amateur collectors into an internationally recognized association of amateurs and professionals. In 1979, Mrs. Lillybeck became editor of the organization's official publication, the MAPS Digest, and continued in that capacity until 1998 when she was forced to relinquish that responsibility due to poor health. Karl Stuekerjuergen, fossil collector and MAPS member, credited Mrs. Lillybeck with establishing the organization's credibility among world-recognized institutions such as the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C., the Field Museum, Chicago and a variety of major universities in the U.S. and abroad. "In the ‘80s, Madelynne played a critical role in helping amateur collectors gain respect with professional paleontologists," Mr. Stuekerjuergen said. "At the time, there was a lot of resentment among professionals toward amateur collectors, but she was a driving force in building bridges between the two groups. Now, when professionals look for input from amateurs, they look to MAPS. Madelynne absolutely had a lot to do with that." Mrs. Lillybeck's enthusiasm for life proved an infectious attraction for nearly everyone she encountered. She loved plants, animals, trees, her husband and three children. She loved a good scotch, played Rummy with a vengeance, and had a deep and spiritual commitment to God and country. "Madelynne Lillybeck was one of the gentlest, kindest and most loving persons I have ever known," said close friend Bonnie King. "She truly cared about everybody." Survivors include her husband, Norman; daughter, Linda Fraifeld, Jerusalem, Israel; son and daughter-in-law Eric Lillybeck and Marcia Youngvorst, San Carlos, Calif. and Moline; son and daughter-in-law Steven and Susan Lillybeck, Port Byron; granddaughter Allison Dietz, Silvis; sister Roberta Nelson, Meridian, Idaho; and numerous nieces and nephews. Her sister, Elizabeth Wallace, preceded her in death. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com. END OF OBITUARY