Condolences to the family of Margaret Esposito

NORMAL — Margaret L. Esposito, 88, of Normal died at 7:30 p.m. Friday (Oct. 14, 2011) at her residence in Normal.

Her funeral Mass will be at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Bloomington. Monsignor Doug Hennessy and Father Carl Lopresti will officiate. Burial will be in Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington. 

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Beck Memorial Home, Bloomington, with a prayer service at 8 p.m. and one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to Poulton-Mitchell Scholarship Fund at Heartland Community College, Normal; The Salvation Army, Bloomington; the Community Cancer Center, Normal; and the Humane Society of Central Illinois.

Margaret was born July 5, 1923, in Bloomington, the daughter of Charles A. and Gladys L. Mitchell Poulton. She married Santine Esposito on Oct. 17, 1942, in Fort Worth, Texas. He died in May 1960.

She is survived by one daughter, Linda K. Lambrecht, Normal; one son, Stephen A. (Judith) Esposito, Normal; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and Kate Barr, a special family friend and helper.

She was preceded in death by parents and her two brothers, Winston and Raymond Poulton.

Margaret received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Illinois State University, Normal. She was the Extension Adviser Home Economics for the McLean County Extension Service from 1962 until her retirement in 1992. She authored the book “Places of Pride,” which was a pictorial history of the founding of Extension in McLean County.

Margaret was a founding board of trustees member from 1991-2003 at Heartland Community College, Normal. She was a longtime Salvation Army board member. In 1990, she received the Women of Distinction Award in McLean County. She hosted the McLean County Home Extension Program on WJBC Radio for many years.

Margaret was an avid supporter and contributor to the history of McLean County through her association with such organizations as McLean County Historical Society and the David Davis Mansion. She was a member and officeholder of multiple professional associations and honorary societies. Margaret was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Bloomington.