Maridel Bilinski of Northbrook IL went to be with her heavenly father on January 26, 2024. Mary Delores Van Etten was born August 21, 1929 in St. Louis, Missouri to John and Gladys Van Etten. Mary grew up in San Diego CA and enjoyed ballet and ushering at the Balboa Park Theater. She also attended college while working at the San Diego Public Library. She met Edward, the love of her life at a dance in San Diego. They were married in San Diego CA on January 31, 1953. They moved to Chicago IL to start their life together. She worked at the Glenview Library and was known as the “Storytime Lady”. She worked in library services for over 50 years. She sang with the North Shore Harmonizers Barbershop Group and performed with the Gilbert and Sullivan Savoyaires in The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, and HMS Pinafore. She loved to read and had read over 1000 books during her lifetime. Her greatest joys in life were traveling and spending time with her family and friends. She was a devoted mother and grandmother who kept in touch with all her loved ones and was very present throughout their lives and life events.

She was a loving mother to Marie (Don) Chaon, Julianne Bilinski Arvidson, Rich and Lisa Blake Bilinski, and Kathryn Bilinski; loving grandmother to Ben Chaon (Vik Bhagat), Ken (Nichole) Arvidson, Jenae Arvidson, Corey Arvidson, Nikki Arvidson, Brian Bilinski (Erica Peterson), Michelle Bilinski (Levi Stein) and Logan Bilinski; loving great grandmother to Mila Bilinski Peterson.

She was preceded in death by her husband Edward, son in-law Don Arvidson, her sister Josephine (Clayton) Butler, her brother John (Sue)Van Etten and her brother Karl Van Etten.

Maridel’s Celebration of Life Service will be held on February 16th at 2:00 p.m. with a time of fellowship afterwards at: St. Philip Lutheran Church, 1609 Pfingsten Rd, Glenview, IL 60025