Above / Ann G. Lord is pictured here during “The Patriotic Concert” of Naperville Municipal Band on July 6, 2023. For 66 years, Ann served as concert moderator with grace, style, good humor and a song in her heart. (PN Photo)
Ann G. Lord, 93, passed away Saturday at Mercy Center Hospital in Aurora. She was born Emily Ann Good on Jan. 18, 1931. She lived most of her life in Naperville, where she was born, grew up and raised her own family. She lived the last 18 years in Aurora.
She was well-known to many as the concert moderator of the Naperville Municipal Band concerts, which she did for 66 years. Her affiliation with the band began even before that, when she played clarinet in the band for several years while in high school.
An accomplished singer and actress, she appeared in a number of area theater productions, as well as performing one-woman shows. She also performed shows with her daughter, Catherine, at clubs and meetings throughout the area.
Ann graduated from Naperville High School, now Naperville Central High School, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College, in Grinnell, Iowa. She obtained a Masters degree from Northeastern University in Chicago. She spent 20 years as a speech teacher at Naperville North High School, one year at Naperville Central, and was a substitute teacher before that.
After college, she worked at KGLO television and radio in Mason City, Iowa, first as an advertising copy writer, and then as an on-air personality. It was there she met her husband, John Lord, who worked as a radio personality, and radio and television director and producer.
The two were married in 1954, and were married 54 years until her husband’s death in 2008.
Ann Lord is survived by three children: Steven Lord (Pat), of Geneva, Catherine Lord (Anthony Cesaretti), of St. Charles, and Douglas Lord (Kelli), of Naperville; seven grandchildren, Julie Jacobi (Ryan), of Chicago, Robert Lord (Deidre), of Chicago, Steven Lord (Michelle), of Boston, Mass., Colleen Cesaretti (Bill), of Chicago, Connor Cesaretti, of St. Charles, Thomas Lord (Katie), of Naperville, and John Lord (Jodi), of St. Louis, Mo.; six great-grandchildren, Gilbert Jacobi, Louisa Jacobi, Kennedy Lord, Isaiah Lord, Reagan Lord, Jace Lord; one niece, Linda Dooley, of Sarasota, Fla.; one grand-nephew, John Dooley (Chelsea), of Sarasota; and one great-grand-niece, Addison.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John G. Lord; her parents, Sankey and Evelyn Thornton Good, of Naperville.
Visitation will take place from 4 to 8PM Tues., March 12, at the Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Home, 516 S. Washington St., Naperville. There will be a service at 11AM Wed., March 13, with a visitation from 10AM to 11AM, at the Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her name to the Christian Science Church, 1108 Oswego Road, Naperville. —Steve Lord and Family
