The NFCA Loses Beloved Staff Member

11/07/05

Oak Brook, IL — Darlene (Dee) K. McIntyre, National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) Manager of Information Systems, passed away Sunday morning at 10:40 a.m. after a courageous three-year battle with cancer.

Dee is survived by her daughter, Cyndi McIntyre, and her granddaughter, Nikki, both of South Elgin, Ill., and her companion, Bob Tingler, of Palatine, Ill.

Dee began her career with the NFCA on Nov. 1, 1994. She previously had worked 16 years at the American Sportfishing Association, prior to its relocation out of state. At the NFCA, Dee was responsible for the collection of materials for and production of Statistics of Fraternal Benefit Societies, an annual compilation of fraternal benefit system facts, figures and other important data. In addition, Dee handled all of the NFCA’s information systems needs, from hardware to software, and computers to phone systems.

Dee managed the Membership Standards program, and was the NFCA liaison to the Risk Management, Membership and Credentials Committees. For many years, she also served as the annual meeting registrar. She was a skilled perfectionist and no matter how long a project took, she did whatever was necessary to get the job done and done right.

None of us will forget her cheerfulness, her kindness and her humor. The NFCA, the fraternal benefit system and – most importantly – each of us were blessed by her friendship, her talents and her many contributions throughout the years. She was a member of our fraternal family and she will be missed.

Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9, at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral Home, 201 North NW Highway, Palatine, IL 60067 (847-358-7411). The funeral will be at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 10, also at Ahlgrim Funeral Home. There will be a processional from the funeral home to Mt. Auburn Cemetery, 4101 S. Oak Park Avenue, Stickney, IL 60402.

Memorials can be made out to The Cancer Institute, a foundation that helps cancer patients who cannot afford to pay for their treatments, and mailed to Bob Tingler, 142 S. Fremont St., Palatine, IL 60067.

The NFCA would like to thank all of you for your expressions of concern, support and love for Dee since her battle began. She now is home with the Lord.