Mary A. Lofquist

Mary A. Lofquist, of Cherry Valley, passed away Thursday, July 28, 2016 in her home surrounded by loving family. Born on May 13, 1940, in Rockford, the daughter of Leonard E. and Grace R. (Johnson) Nyman. A 4-H farm girl, she was the valedictorian at East High school class of 1958. She received her Elementary Education degree from Augustana College, Rock Island, IL in 1962 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
She married Gerald Lofquist on June 24, 1962 at Cherry Valley United Methodist Church. She taught first grade at Rolling Green and Vandercook elementary schools. Together with her family, she volunteered with Wycliffe Bible Translators and Heifer International in Ecuador for a year. A member of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Rockford, since 1962, she was the church secretary for 27 years, where she served on numerous committees, taught Sunday school and helped sponsor several refugee families. She was also on the church softball team and pitched a no-hitter on her 40th birthday.
She worked for Rock Valley Community College’s Refugee and Immigration Services for many years, teaching ESL and job skills training. She and her husband were a host family for students in the international studies program at Rockford College. They were also caregivers through the Children’s Development Center and foster parents for several children through Winnebago County. Before retiring, she also taught high school Spanish in Rockford.
After retirement, she was a co-coordinator at Zion Lutheran’s Outreach Ministry neighborhood after school program.
She enjoyed genealogy, researching her Swedish and Czech heritage and assisting others in doing so, both online and in her travels to Sweden. She had fun accompanying her husband to many American Union of Swedish Singers’ conventions with the Rockford Svea Soner choir. Together with her husband, she volunteered at the Swedish Historical Society Erlander Home Museum and the Barnabas Program at the P.A. Peterson Home. For all her volunteer work, she was the recipient of the Kiwanis “Touch a Life” award.
She is survived by her loving husband of 54 years Gerald, daughters; Kristine Lofquist (Saleem Malik), Beth (Par) Ljungstrom, grandchildren Ehan Malik, Miriam and Theo Ljungstrom, sisters Ann (Rev. Robert) Strawn and Martha (Rev. John) Werner, and numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceased by parents and special aunt Alice Strawn.
Services will be 4 p.m. Sunday, August 7, 2016 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 2715 S. Mulford Rd, Rockford, visitation from 2:30 until 4 p.m., with a private burial at Scandinavian Cemetery. The family has requested attendees to wear something red (scarf, tie, shoes, etc.) as it was Mary’s favorite color and a symbol of her passion for learning and life. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Arrangements by Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, 1860 S. Mulford Rd, Rockford, IL. 61108 – Send online condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com