Marion Elizabeth Brennan Enich

Marion Elizabeth Brennan was born on 1 Oct 1917 in Chicago, Illinois as youngest child and the only daughter of Stephen Francis Brennan and Anna Elizabeth Marcusen. She had two older brothers: Clarence Francis, who died as an infant, and Charles Joseph. 

She grew up in a two-flat at 4242 Wilcox Street in Chicago, Illinois as noted in the 1920, 1930 and 1940 US Census enumerations.  Her grandmother Berjetta owned the home and ran her laundry business out of the basement.  Marion helped with the business when she was old enough.  She also had a pet dog that she adored.

She graduated from John Marshall High School in January 1936.

She graduated from at Northern Illinois State Teachers College, now known as Northern Illinois University (NIU), on 17 June 1940.

Her first teaching position was in a one-room school in Brookfield, Illinois.  Marion told us she took the trolley to get to the school.

After she married and moved to DeKalb, she taught third grade at Ellwood School in the DeKalb school system, teaching a total of 43 years.

Marion married Eli Enich, son of George and Yeka Enich, on 26 Dec 1942 in Chicago, Illinois.  They did not have any children.  They lived in DeKalb all their married lives.  As newlyweds they lived with Eli's parents.

By 1959, Marion and Eli bought their own home at 129 Harrison Street in DeKalb.  They also had NIU college students rooming with them for several years.   Marion's mother Anna lived with Marion and Eli from the early 1960s when she sold the family home in Chicago until 1988 when she died.

Eli and Marion moved back to Market Street after Eli's parents died.  They were living there in 1978 when I first met them.

After Eli died in 2002, Marion continued living in their home on Market Street until she moved to Green Bay in 2007, first to an independent living community and then to an assisted living residence.   When I asked her about the timing of her move, she told me she was waiting for her 20+ year old cat to die, so she would not have to move him and upset him.  Finally she had no choice and the cat went with her.   The cat lived for a few more years with her in Green Bay and to the best of her knowledge was 27 years old when he died.

Marion Brennan Enich passed away peacefully in her sleep October 23, 2014 at the age of 97.

From her obituary:

"Born: Oct. 1, 1917; in Chicago, IL
Died: Oct. 23, 2014; in Green Bay, WI

Marion Elizabeth Enich (Brennan), 97, of Green Bay, WI and formerly of DeKalb, IL died on Thursday, October 23, 2014, in Green Bay, WI.

She was born October 1, 1917, in Chicago, IL and was the daughter of Steven F. and Anna E. (Marcusen) Brennan. Marion was married to the late Eli Enich on January 2, 1943, he preceded her in death on September 21, 2002. Marion was a retired teacher from Northern Illinois University. She has lived in the DeKalb community since 1944, moving here from Chicago.

Survivors include nephews, Cliff (Arlet) Binder of Green Bay, WI. John (Rita) Brennan of Lombard, IL, and Bruce (Caron) Brennan of Villa Park, IL. Marion was preceded in death by parents; husband, Eli; and brothers, Clarence and Charles.

Funeral service will be held on Monday, October 27, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. in the Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home with Pastor Robert L. Vaughn officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Park Cemetery in DeKalb. Visitation will be held on Monday, October 27, 2014, from 12:00 noon till the time of the service in the funeral home.  Memorials may be made to the family to be established at a later date.

Arrangements were entrusted to: Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL, 60115 (815) 758-3841."

Published in Daily-Chronicle on Oct. 25, 2014- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/daily-chronicle/obituary.aspx?pid=172933195#sthash.9xjmEHHG.dpuf

From Marions funeral bulletin:

"In the middle of World War II Marion married Eli Enich. But when the war was over they settled down and enjoyed 59 years together until his death in 2002.

Marion was an avid reader. She had subscriptions to numerous magazines, two newspapers, and had lately gotten into genealogy.  While curled up in a chair reading, a cat might be resting nearby. She took good care of them for one lived 21 years, and another for 27.  Marion also enjoyed growing flowers. Her community activities included the DeKalb Women's Club.

Now Eli was quite the sports fan. He and Marion liked to go to downtown Chicago to the stadium and watch Blackhawk hockey games. In season they would walk down the railroad tracks picking raspberries.

Vacation time found he and Marion traveling around the country to various places, the West Coast as far up as Vancouver, out to Las Vegas, Yellowstone Park, up north in Canada, and down south into Florida. The goal was to make it out to the East Coast, but that never materialized.

Thanksgiving time, the family would gather together. Nephews Cliff, Jon and Bruce and spouses Arlet, Rita and Caron would feast on the turkey Marion made. Niece Carol Gahret might join in as well."

Here are some things I learned about Marion over the years I knew her.  She loved her brother Charlie and her cats.  She read the Chicago Tribune every day until she was 96 – it was delivered to her in the retirement community.  She kept in correspondence with her college classmates for many years.  She kept her favorite doll from when she was 6 years old – it is now in my care.  She saved and shared many very old photos of her mother's family.  Some are old tintypes!

Marion and I shared an interest in genealogy.  She was distressed because she never found her Brennan grandparents.  She searched for years trying to find her father's family.  The family story was that the Brennan family disowned Stephen when he married a Lutheran.  Marion told me she thought her grandparents were Michael and Annie Brennan who came from Ireland and ended up in Chicago, but she had no documentation.  Marion believed that her father Stephen was born in Chicago as he reported in the 1910 and 1920 US Census, but was unable to obtain a birth certificate.  According to the Cook County Clerk's Office "it burned up in the Fire."  She was told he had "several brothers and sisters" but the only one she ever met was her father's sister Mary Brennan a few times as a child.  Her Aunt Mary worked (and lived) in a convent on the North side of Chicago, but was not a nun.  Marion couldn't remember the name of the convent.  It would have been in the early to mid-1930s.   We were able to get a DNA sample from Marion before she died.  We are hoping it leads us to finding her Brennan family.

A few years after Marion died, I found the Social Security Application for her father Stephen Brennan.  On it he listed his parents as William Brennan and Margarett Clancy.  He listed his name as Steve Frances Brennan.  He reported his birth date as 26 Dec 1873.  Using this infroamtion I was able to find a baptismal record for him, verifying his parents and birthdate.