Mercedes E. McGrath, 85, a Glen Ellyn resident and former longtime volunteer with the DuPage Convalescent Center, died Monday, March 18, in St. Patrick’s Residence in Naperville.
Born in Chicago, Mrs. McGrath moved with her family to Glen Ellyn in 1972. She worked as a part-time office employee for DuPage Easter Seals in Villa Park until she retired in 1992.
From 1978 to 2000, Mrs. McGrath volunteered at the convalescent center, working one morning a week with elderly residents in the craft workshop.
“Like all of our volunteers, she was a very important member of our staff,” said Wendy Smith, manager of volunteer services. “But what made her special was that she was so committed, giving so much of her time and for so many years. As an older volunteer, I think the center gave her a real connection with the community and a sense of purpose.”
Soft-spoken and easygoing, Mrs. McGrath was a familiar face every Tuesday at the center, where she logged more than 2,000 hours during 21 years. Volunteering with her twin sister, Marion Thompson, she taught crafts.
“She was a real sweetheart, with an agreeable personality and the patience of a saint,” said Carol Winkler, a volunteer at the center. “Many of the residents she worked with were senile or suffered from some form of dementia and making pompoms presented a real challenge for them. Mer never pushed or gave up on them. She’d sit there alongside them, giving them encouragement and helping them feel good about what they’d accomplished.”
Survivors include two sons, Michael and Terry; a daughter, Eileen Heise; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Thursday in St. Patrick’s Residence, 1400 Brookdale St., Naperville.
