Lily Orchard

CHARLESTON, IL – Lillian E. “Lily” Orchard, 98, of Charleston, Illinois, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, April 11, 2022 at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, IL after suffering a fatal stroke.  A memorial service honoring her life will be held at 3:30 PM, Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Adams Funeral Chapel, in Charleston, IL. Visitation will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at the funeral chapel. A funeral mass in memory of Lily will be held at 5 o’clock at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Charleston, IL that evening. To protect the health of Lily’s family, masks are kindly requested.

Lily Orchard was born April 18, 1923 in Scotland, SD, the daughter of Joseph and Marie (Voska) Schneider.  She married Mesmin “Mez” Orchard in Sioux City, NE September 19, 1941, who preceded her in death on September 18, 2001.  She is survived by two of her sons, Allen Michael “Mike” (Sarah) Orchard and Laurence “Larry” Orchard; her seven grandchildren Chris, Jim, David, Todd, and Anthony Orchard, Dani Boekholder, and Becky DeStephano; seven great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and former daughters-in-law Joanne, Susan, and Molly. Also surviving are her niece and family with whom she had resided 13 years: Cheryl Hawker and her children and grandsons, Morgan (Robert Raque) and Jordan Hawker; Theo and Calvin Raque. Lily’s special cat Misty is mourning her loss also.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband “Mez,” her son Mark “Buz” Orchard, seven sisters, five brothers, and six nieces and nephews.  Lily was the last remaining member of her generation in both America and her parents’ home country of the Czech Republic.

Lily lived in several states while her husband was in the service, finally settling in Huron, SD, where she helped Mez in his construction business with almost every detail from paperwork to hammering!  She also was a hairdresser who owned her own beauty salon.  They eventually moved to Sioux Falls, SD, where Lily became an instructor at Stewart’s School of Hair Styling until she retired in the mid-1970’s. 

The Orchards then moved to what is now Centennial, CO, where Lily lived until 2008. She was very active in her community, serving as the Queen Mother of the Rocky Mountain Red Chatters, President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus, was an active member of LRMC, and volunteered much of her time at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish.  One of her projects was to do the weekly grocery shopping for the nuns.  She also loaded all the food donations from the parishioners into her little red Camaro convertible every week to deliver to the local food pantry. She was mighty strong in her 4’-10” frame and never let her small stature prevent her from doing big things!

Not only did Lily enjoy volunteering, but she also loved cats and dogs, gardening, sewing, crafting, letter-writing, wine-making, playing bridge, golf and bowling, among other interests.  In fact, she proudly had a Hole-in-One Trophy in golf and a Triple Score Series in her bowling league.  Every Christmas she would send Christmas letters to her overseas relatives written in the Czech language, working diligently with her Czech dictionary until her letters were perfect.

In 2009, Lily moved to Charleston, IL to live with Cheryl.  There she immediately became engaged in her new community by joining the St. Cecelia Circle at St. Charles Borromeo, the PEO Chapter CF, the Shining Stars Chapter of Red Hatters, and was a volunteer and supporter of the Five Mile House Foundation.  Lily made friends quickly wherever she lived.  In fact, in the Charleston area, most people called her “Aunt Lily” as a term of endearment.  She will be sorely missed by all her family and close friends in every community she impacted.

Memorials in honor of Lily Orchard may be made to St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, the Five Mile House Foundation, or to the PEO Chapter CF and mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Drive, Charleston, IL 61920.

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