LILY IRELAND
OCTOBER 7TH 1907-BRIDGEPORT IL-11:57 AM CST
to
FEBRUARY 5TH 2007-CHICAGO IL-7:10 PM CST
by
CHRISTINE ARENS
The Friends of Astrology mourns the loss of yet another of its long-time members. LILY IRELAND was for many years one of the foremost astrologers in the Chicago area. In Jess Stern’s book A Time for Astrology (1971) she was listed as one of the five professional astrologers practicing in the Chicago area, living in and working from the same Lake Point Tower apartment where she made her final transition.
During the last decade of her life she suffered from advanced glaucoma, which robbed her of the ability to read the charts which guided her life. In the late 1990s she graciously donated her personal books and papers to the Friends of Astrology library, a contribution which was gratefully appreciated. But even though she was legally blind, she was still mentally alert, and could visualize charts in her mind – if someone could read the chart placements to her. For many years she greatly appreciated the companionship of our former member RITA MATTERN who was able to share astrology with her in this way.
Lily was the youngest of several siblings born on her parents’ farm in rural southern Illinois. She learned her astrology through the Church of Light in southern California, where she lived and worked for more than 25 years. She joined the COL in 1959, and completed her studies for her Hermetician’s certificate in 1961. Throughout the 1960s she was extremely active with them, teaching classes and writing for their publication. In 1968 she succeeded DORIS CHASE DOANE as their Treasurer, a position she continued to hold following her return to Chicago.
Lily’s affiliation with the American Federation of Astrologers ran parallel to her COL activities. She joined AFA on April 12, 1960, becoming a Life Member on May 12, 1970. As a Hermetician, she was granted Professional Certification with the AFA, an honor she held in high regard. Interestingly, her applications for both the COL and the AFA list her time of birth as 11:30 am. However, the time of 11:57 am was given to me personally, and I believe she used this as her rectified chart. In reviewing the two charts I do indeed believe she correctly identified her birth time, especially considering that for many years she was one of the foremost teachers in the Chicago area.
I first met Lily at the AFA convention of 1974, and was greatly awed by her knowledge and energy, an energy she continued to display even as she knew she would soon pass. In the last weeks of her life she asked that I visit, and also personally asked me to speak at her memorial service. While I was honored to do this for her, I was even more honored that her family requested that I actually conduct this service. On the morning of February 10, with her family and many old and dear friends present – including some very old members of Friends of Astrology -- we said our last farewell to her.
Lily specifically requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Friends of Astrology. And FOA gratefully acknowledges those memorials. While we share the grief, we know she made a quiet and peaceful transition to a higher level of existence – a spiritual life where she can now see all through Divine Light. We have lost a shining star of Chicago astrology, and we extend our deepest condolences to all her friends and family.
CHRISTINE ARENS
The Friends of Astrology mourns the loss of yet another of its long-time members. LILY IRELAND was for many years one of the foremost astrologers in the Chicago area. In Jess Stern’s book A Time for Astrology (1971) she was listed as one of the five professional astrologers practicing in the Chicago area, living in and working from the same Lake Point Tower apartment where she made her final transition.
During the last decade of her life she suffered from advanced glaucoma, which robbed her of the ability to read the charts which guided her life. In the late 1990s she graciously donated her personal books and papers to the Friends of Astrology library, a contribution which was gratefully appreciated. But even though she was legally blind, she was still mentally alert, and could visualize charts in her mind – if someone could read the chart placements to her. For many years she greatly appreciated the companionship of our former member RITA MATTERN who was able to share astrology with her in this way.
Lily was the youngest of several siblings born on her parents’ farm in rural southern Illinois. She learned her astrology through the Church of Light in southern California, where she lived and worked for more than 25 years. She joined the COL in 1959, and completed her studies for her Hermetician’s certificate in 1961. Throughout the 1960s she was extremely active with them, teaching classes and writing for their publication. In 1968 she succeeded DORIS CHASE DOANE as their Treasurer, a position she continued to hold following her return to Chicago.
Lily’s affiliation with the American Federation of Astrologers ran parallel to her COL activities. She joined AFA on April 12, 1960, becoming a Life Member on May 12, 1970. As a Hermetician, she was granted Professional Certification with the AFA, an honor she held in high regard. Interestingly, her applications for both the COL and the AFA list her time of birth as 11:30 am. However, the time of 11:57 am was given to me personally, and I believe she used this as her rectified chart. In reviewing the two charts I do indeed believe she correctly identified her birth time, especially considering that for many years she was one of the foremost teachers in the Chicago area.
I first met Lily at the AFA convention of 1974, and was greatly awed by her knowledge and energy, an energy she continued to display even as she knew she would soon pass. In the last weeks of her life she asked that I visit, and also personally asked me to speak at her memorial service. While I was honored to do this for her, I was even more honored that her family requested that I actually conduct this service. On the morning of February 10, with her family and many old and dear friends present – including some very old members of Friends of Astrology -- we said our last farewell to her.
Lily specifically requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Friends of Astrology. And FOA gratefully acknowledges those memorials. While we share the grief, we know she made a quiet and peaceful transition to a higher level of existence – a spiritual life where she can now see all through Divine Light. We have lost a shining star of Chicago astrology, and we extend our deepest condolences to all her friends and family.
