Maureen Catherine (Heraty) Lantero, 90, a resident of University Park, Florida, formerly River Forest, who never forgot a birthday, an anniversary, or the best route to any far-reaching corner of Chicago, died on June 30, 2025, following a 15-year battle with ovarian cancer. Born on Dec. 30, 1934 in Chicago, the daughter of Irish immigrants Catherine (Chambers) and Peter Heraty, she was the oldest of five, growing up in Rogers Park and then in Portage Park.
She attended St. Genevieve Catholic School, followed by Alvernia High School. After high school she worked for six months and then enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
At a dance in Newman Hall, she met the love of her life: a handsome engineering major named Larry Lantero. The couple married on Feb. 11, 1956 — in a slightly delayed ceremony due to a surprise snowstorm and the priest’s train hitting a cow on the way.
They welcomed seven children in seven years and moved to Virginia and back to Oak Lawn. A few years later they moved again, this time to River Forest.
After raising her seven children, she decided to go back to school to finish her bachelor’s degree in accounting at Rosary (now Dominican) University, then sat for and passed the CPA exam. She became treasurer of United Insulated Structures Corp. (UISC), the company her husband Larry founded.
She enjoyed travel, whether driving to their house at Apple Canyon Lake or visiting China, Italy, and her parents’ homeland of Ireland. She loved a strong cup of coffee, a vodka martini on the rocks with a twist, and a good story. She had a way of making everyone feel special and would make a point of learning — and not forgetting — everyone’s name.
A devout Catholic, she was preceded in death by her parents Catherine and Peter; her sisters, Elizabeth “Betty” Pellikan and Lucille Lombardi; and her brother, Father Jack Heraty.
Her hugs, laugh, and greeting cards will be missed by her husband, Larry; her brother, Peter Heraty; her children, Larry Jr. (Maureen) Lantero, Lisa (Peter) Economos, Laura (Raleigh) Woodford, Peter (Dawn) Lantero, Paul (Donna) Lantero, Mary (Greg) White, and Brian (Anne) Lantero; her 20 grandchildren and their spouses; 13 great-grandchildren; and a bevy of nieces and nephews.
The visitation and funeral Mass were held on July 14 at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, 1530 Jackson Ave., River Forest, and she was laid to rest the next day at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Misericordia Heart of Mercy, where Maureen’s grandson, Robert Economos, is enrolled in the Bridge Program, “In Memory of Maureen Lantero, Robert Economos’ grandmother,” https://www.misericordia.com/giving/donate-online.