Mary Magill Haycock

MIDDLETON-Mary Magill "Jill" Haycock, Age 87, died peacefully at Agrace HospiceCare in Madison, Wis., on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, following a stay at St. Mary's Memory Care, also in Madison. Jill was born August 11, 1931, in Chicago, Ill., to Loren Charles and Frances Theodora (Wiedenbeck) Moore. Jill grew up in Highland Park, Ill. Jill’s father was the artistic director for a large Chicago advertising firm and a skilled painter and illustrator, who encouraged Jill’s creative pursuits. Jill’s mother, an interior designer, and her Aunt Emilie, an antiques dealer and successful writer and illustrator of children’s books under the name Peter Mabie, also nurtured Jill’s creative talents. Jill was passionate about art, architecture, historic preservation, painting, writing, antique picture frames, antique prints, birds and improvising her own path while embracing her varied interests. At Lawrence College Jill was a columnist and cartoonist for the weekly college paper, and the only female member of the ski club. Jill graduated in 1953 with a B.A. in art, writing and anthropology. After a summer spent exploring Europe, Jill returned to Chicago. Having published her first short story in Everywoman's Magazine in September 1953, Jill found work as an editor and writer for an advertising and a public relations firm. Jill continued to write articles, mainly on topics of architecture and art, published in Chicago Magazine, Wisconsin Tales & Trails Magazine, and newspapers. Jill married Dr. Arnold Marx and after living for a brief time in Los Angeles then moved to Madison in 1961, where she gave birth to a son, Todd, and later a daughter, Jessica. Jill was a founding member of the Taychopera Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of structures of architectural and historical significance in Madison and the surrounding area. The organization had many successes including financing a plan to create Madison historic districts, assisting in the preservation and move of the Gates of Heaven Synagogue, and petitioning for an ordinance creating Madison's first City Landmarks Commission in 1970, of which Jill was a member. Jill wrote a booklet "Madison Houses 1836-1910" and made a movie "The Changing Face of Madison," about historical preservation. For many years Jill ran an antique picture frame and print business, Traumerei Traditions, from her homes, first in Verona, then Lake Mills. Jill had many friends and loved to entertain. Jill's first marriage ended in divorce. Jill was widowed in her second marriage to Charles Haycock, a prominent Madison artist and art instructor. Jill was predeceased by a brother, James. Jill is survived by her son, Todd Marks, of Colorado, her daughter, Jessica (Joseph) Ehmann of Middleton, WI, and a granddaughter, Ashlynn Seely, of Fargo, ND. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.