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Founding Homeowner Of Mount Prospect Subdivision Dies At 98


Jeanette Dorothy MacArthur (nee Friese) passed away on May 20 at age 98 at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights. MacArthur was one of the first homeowners in Mount Prospect’s Northwest Meadows subdivision, according to her obituary.

She was born on April 3, 1922 on Chicago’s Northwest side to Dorothea Julia Rosemann and Edwin Julius Friese. She was their second child and sister to Donald Otto Friese, who later became a pilot during World War II and was killed in battle.

MacArthur was a graduate of Foreman High School. Shortly after graduating, she married Warren George MacArthur on Oct. 16, 1943 during World War II. She stayed back in Chicago with her parents while Warren was deployed in Texas.

The MacArthurs settled in the Northwest Meadows subdivision into a ranch home that they partly built with their own hands in 1954. They were among the founding families of the subdivision and were early contributors to Northwest Community Hospital. The MacArthur couple had two sons, Scott who was born in 1953 and Gregg who was born in 1958.

MacArthur lived in the home for 66 years until her death and was a member of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Mount Prospect.

Over the years, MacArthur became the honorary “Auntie Nette” to many of her friends’ and neighbors’ children. Her husband, Warren, died after 38 years of marriage.

Tom Armenakis became her partner and traveling companion until his death in 2010.

MacArthur was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, her brother, sister-in-law Marjorie Jean (Beuckman) Friese Downing, her father-in-law Edward G. MacArthur and her mother-in-law, Alice (Osborne) MacArthur.

As a young woman, MacArthur worked in offices in downtown Chicago for a number of companies such as Continental Can and Pettibone Mulliken. After her sons were in college, she went to work at Colonial Dental, where she stayed until she retired at age 77.

MacArthur leaves behind her late sister-in-laws son David (Rita) Downing.

A private graveside service will be held with a celebration of life to be scheduled at a later date. Memorials can be made to St. Mark Lutheran Church in Mount Prospect.

Lauterburg-Oehler Funeral Home in Arlington Heights handled arrangements.

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