Lake Forest Obituary: Lindra "Shiney" Anderson, 84

On Sunday afternoon, November 10, 2019, Lindra “Shiney” Anderson, age 84, died peacefully, surrounded by her husband Edward “Ted” and their three sons, James, Scott, and Todd as well as many other family members. With a crowd around her to send her onward, Shiney continued to the end to be at the center of her family’s affection and attention.

Shiney was born October 9, 1935, at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, to Linn J. and Adra Guerin Vallaly. In 1936 her family moved to Rogers Park where Shiney attended elementary school. In 1949, the family built a house in Highland Park, where Shiney attended Highland Park High School, graduating in 1953. Following graduation, Shiney attended Lawrence College in Wisconsin and then the University of Illinois, from which she graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor in Fine Arts. With her sparkling personality, she became known as Shiney at a very young age and carried the nickname throughout her life.

While Shiney was in college, her family moved to Lake Forest. It was here in Lake Forest that Shiney met Ted, a local boy who worked for his family’s civil engineering company. They married on June 29, 1959, and in June 2019 they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary surrounded by family and friends.

Shiney and Ted raised their three sons in Lake Forest and were active in the Lake Forest Presbyterian church and the Lake Forest community. They had a wonderful collection of neighborhood friends and a pot-luck dinner group that got together regularly throughout the years. An avid reader, Shiney enjoyed her part-time jobs working in several local bookstores, and later at the Lake Forest Library’s circulation desk. For many years she also volunteered in the book department of First Presbyterian Church’s annual rummage sale, as well as the book sale for the library.

Shiney was known for her good sense of humor, happy outlook, and fun-loving ways. She loved her family and friends, a good party, a well-made cocktail, her precious kitty cats, and doing a bit of catalogue shopping. Her top priorities were making a home for her family when they were young and sheltering them from the suffering she endured when her health began to decline as a result of a stroke in her 60’s. Although she endured long time medical challenges as a result of this stroke, she rarely complained and exhibited a determined will to live life to the fullest. Her plucky spirit earned her fans wherever she went.

Shiney was fortunate that her loving and loyal husband Ted never let up on his commitment to caring for her. She was even more lucky that Ted found two caregiving angels, Maria Toledano, Jessica Thompson, and Lilliana Toledano who tended to Shiney for more than 15 years, enabling her to remain in the family home where she felt most comfortable and safe, and allowing Ted to go to his company office and get out from under their feet.

Shiney leaves behind her husband Ted, her sons James, Scott and Todd, her three beloved grand-daughters, Maggie, Carly and Ginny, and her daughter-in-law Meg Anderson. She will be greatly missed by her sister Karen Jacobson and her brother-in-law James Jacobson, her sister-in-law Barb Vallaly, her sister-in-law Lee Anderson Tregurtha and her brother-in-law Paul Tregurtha, as well as many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand nephews. Her brother Dustin L. Vallaly (Barbara) and her brother-in-law James E. Anderson preceded her in death.

On Friday, November 15, a visitation will be held between 5pm and 7pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 700 Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, Illinois. A memorial service will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund, First Presbyterian Church, 700 N. Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045 or to Save A Pet, 31664 N. Fairfield Road, Grayslake, IL 60030. Info: Wenban Funeral Home (847) 234-0022 or www.wenbanfh.com