Marcia Lawhorn Obituary

Marcia Jeanne Lawhorn, age 80, joined her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and her beloved Wilbur on Friday, July 4, 2025. Marcia and Wilbur are dancing on streets of gold and catching up after many years of being apart on earth. She was born on November 26, 1944 in Blue Island, IL, the daughter of Charles and Geraldine (Chapman) James. Marcia married Wilbur Lee Lawhorn on February 6, 1965, he preceded her in death on December 11, 1992. Marcia worked as an x-ray technician from 1977 to 2011 at the Rochelle Community Hospital. She also worked for many years at Kishwaukee College as a clinical instructor for radiology students and touched many lives as she mentored them into the field. She was well known by women in the Rochelle community for making mammograms as enjoyable as possible. During the years she and Wilbur attended church at Twin City Baptist in Dekalb, you could find her interpreting the message and hymns in sign language. Marcia loved her family and friends with all her heart. She had the gift of gab and never met a stranger. She enjoyed feeding family and friends many of her specialty dishes like chocolate chip cookies, lemon meringue and rhubarb pies, and the best crockpot mashed potatoes to name a few. Marcia had a special way of giving the best advice, comfort, and always found a way to make a joke or turn any scenario into a song. She gave the best hugs. In her later years, she might hold her hug a bit longer than appropriate if he was young and good looking. Her children, grandchildren, and her great grandchild were the light of her life. Marcia was a talented crafter. She shared many years of crafting with her special friend and business partner, Dawn Johnson. She enjoyed sewing, cross stitch, and more recently card making. The cards she made were works of art and the kind words and notes she sent to family and friends will always be remembered. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband and brother, Charles Reece James, as well as her parents-in-law Ben and Lorraine Lawhorn, sisters-in-law Donna Lawhorn and Betty Bunger, as well as her niece Sara (Mark) Williams. Survived by her 3 children: Amie Lawhorn of DeKalb, Dale (Helen) Lawhorn of Mount Dora, Florida, and Julie (Paul) Chandler of Rockton; 5 grandchildren: Will (Alison) Lawhorn, Levi Lawhorn, Elyssa and Owen Male, and Ellianna Jeanne Chandler; great granddaughter, Adalynn Lawhorn; and sister-in-law, Elaine James of Lake Zurich, IL and brother-in-law Ben Lawhorn, as well as many nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank the staff at Generations at Neighbors Nursing home and special nurse Kristi who mom had a special relationship with. Her last three years in the nursing home became a new set of extended friends and family where they made her comfortable, loved, and planned so many fun activities that she enjoyed with her new friends. Visitation will be held from 11:00 am to 12:50 pm on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at Unger Horner Funeral Home, 400 N 6th St., Rochelle, IL. Memorial service will follow at 1:00 pm with Chaplain Judy Williams officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Malta Cemetery. A memorial fund will be established. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Marcia Lawhorn, please click here to visit our sympathy store.