Virginia Hill and her daughter Karen Hill are our featured “generations” duo this month. Member Cathy Mousseau had a backyard evening gathering in September 2020; Cathy invited her book club and others including Virginia and Karen to introduce them to the Wheaton League. Even though Karen lived in Wheaton, she had been a member of the Glen Ellyn League with her sister Lucy who lives in Glen Ellyn. Virginia had recently moved to Wheaton from River Forest. Both Karen and her mom signed up that night because they love the mission of the League!
Virginia and her husband raised four daughters and a son. Karen is her youngest daughter. When her children were school age, Virginia went back into the workforce and taught and administered programs for handicapped pre-school children. These programs didn’t always exist; she was at the cutting edge of these special education programs.
Karen is a mother of three (a son and two daughters) and has worked in the non-profit world. Currently, she does fundraising at Northwestern Medicine for its Cancer Service Line. After she received her Master’s degree in Public Service Administration from DePaul, she worked in New York and then Thailand for three years where she met her husband. When she returned to the U.S., she worked at the People’s Resource Center and United Way.
What Virginia appreciates most about the League is all the background information she gets about issues, especially for the environment, which is her passion, and the links for calling and emailing her legislators to take action on these issues. Virginia jumped right in after joining and participates in many League activities and events such as committees, book club, Living Room Conversation, Civic Awareness programs, Walk & Talk the League, and decorating the Warrenville Holly Days tree.
Karen loves the non-partisan aspect of the League, being able to hear everyone’s voice. During spring break, her family vacationed in Colorado; and on their way home, she and her husband listened to the League’s School Board candidates forum. Karen and one of her daughters listened to the Casten, Ives, and Redpath virtual candidate forum for the Illinois 6th Congressional District in 2020 that was hosted by a coalition of League chapters. Will there be a third generation of League members in this family, too?
As a young girl, Karen remembered her parents always voted; and Virginia recalled one Election Day morning when her husband asked her “How are we going to vote today?” Well, she had a lot to say about that! He said he was referring to logistics of getting to the polls, not her recommendations!
Outside of the League, Virginia loves weaving. She weaves with a weaving guild in the Western Suburbs with at least 75 others where they teach and inspire each other! She also enjoys reading, especially family sagas, and knitting. Karen shares her mom’s love of knitting, knitting with her sisters. Running, yoga, and biking also top Karen’s list of favorite activities. Karen and her daughters have a newfound hobby: cooking. Trying new recipes is part of the fun for them.
Anne Willer was Virginia Hill’s state representative in the 6th District from 1974 till 1980; Anne was also a Leaguer! (Here’s a copy of her obituary if you’d like to read about her.) Virginia respected this Congresswoman whose campaign slogan was “Women Belong in the House.” Karen remembers going door to door to campaign with her mom. Karen credits her mom for being a role model; Mom knew how to balance work and family and always had a “you can do this” philosophy. Karen hopes she’s like that for her daughters.