Frack, Marcia Mary
78, longtime resident of La Grange, IL ( formerly of Arnold, PA) passed away peacefully on September 2, 2017 after a short and courageous battle with oral cancer.
Born October 14, 1938 in New Kensington, PA ( Westmoreland County), Marcia grew up along the Allegheny River and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mount Mercy College ( now Carlow University) in Pittsburgh in 1960.
Marcia was an accomplished career Registered Nurse ( RN). After graduation she became a public health nurse in Prince George’s County Health Department ( MD). In 1963, Marcia served in a pediatric ward under the auspices of the American NGO CARE/ Medico in Algeria, which was then void of healthcare professionals who had left when the French pulled out of the war- devastated country. Back in the United States, Marcia served as the head nurse in a pediatric research unit at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh under Dr. Thomas Egan. He then recruited her to join him in pioneering the Clinical Research Center at Children’s Memorial Hospital ( now Lurie Children’s Hospital) as his head nurse in 1965. In the highly competitive landscape, Marcia identified the hospital’s difficulty in recruiting new nurses. She created and developed the nurse recruiter position to provide Children’s with the nursing talent not previously accessible. She traveled to and recruited nurses from the region’s nursing programs until she took time off to raise her daughter. Marcia later served as a women’s health nurse up until the day of her stroke in 2015. Her career ended with over 15 years at DMG Women’s Healthcare, Hinsdale, IL.
Marcia was also passionate about the arts, literature, science, conservation, animal welfare, gardening, and travel. She was dedicated to music. Marcia was a talented pianist, a lifelong singer, and a co- founder of The James Chorale ( now Chicago Choral Artists).
Marcia was the loving daughter of Francis and Lubow ( nee Maduk) Meyer, the beloved wife of Roy and mother of Michelle ( fiancé, Chris Usatuck), the devoted sister of Frank, Raymond ( June) Meyer, Alice ( John) Bruncsak, Margi ( late William) Dunegan, and the late Margaret Meyer, and a dear aunt and cousin to many.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Planned Parenthood, The Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, The Nature Conservancy, Lyric Opera of Chicago, or the Music Program at Grace Episcopal Church of Hinsdale. Marcia’s life will be celebrated with a visitation on Friday, September 29, 2017 from 3: 00 to 9: 00 p. m. at Hallowell & James Funeral Home, 1025 W 55th St, Countryside, IL. A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 11: 00 a. m. at Grace Episcopal Church, 120 East First Street, Hinsdale, IL. The interment will be on October 14, 2017 at Greenwood Cemetery, Nazareth, PA. Funeral info: 708- 352- 6500 or hjfunerals.com