2002

THE SCHLAVER CHRISTMAS CHIMES
Midsummer final edition – 2002

Dear friends,

The news has likely reached most of you by now: Our mother, Elizabeth Schlaver, passed on to her eternal reward on June 30, 2002, at the age of 89 and a half. So the 48 years of the Schlaver Christmas Chimes will end with this special edition, slow in coming, but heartfelt in gratitude to all of you.

It all happened quickly, and she did not suffer much at the end. Mom entered the hospital on June 27, dehydrated and very tired. Within hours “acute mylogenous leukemia” was diagnosed and by evening on the 28th she was in a coma. She had been able to talk with family and friends on the telephone that day and some of us were able to gather around her bedside. She was grateful for family and friends and in good humor and spirits to the end. By 3:30 pm on Sunday June 30 she slipped from this life.

We assembled at St. Raymond’s Church across the street on July 5 to pray for her eternal peace and then carried her to St. Paul’s Cemetery on Elmhurst Avenue a mile away, to lay her to rest next to Dad. Her brother Edward, sister Ruth, grandchildren and other relatives were able to be present. Enclosed is the homily given by David and the eulogy by Paul, which tell more of her story.

Now the family homestead at 400 S. I-Oka in Mt. Prospect is filled only with memories of 47 years of life. We are starting to distribute the accumulation and prepare the house for new owners. Certainly it is the end of a long and happy era. Mom was pleased to be able to remain there, independent and relatively pain-free, to the end. After the funeral and burial, the family finished her Jack Daniels bottle (and several others) recalling stories of the past and toasting her indomitable spirit!

Though the matriarch is now at rest, we hope that her love and devotion to family and friends lives on in us. We express our sincere thanks to all of you for your prayers and kindnesses over the years, and the many messages of sympathy from those of you who had heard the news. A memorial fund was set up at Holy Cross Missions in her name, which will provide scholarship help for girls’ education in Bangladesh. For those with Internet connections, you can look at the website prepared by grandson Benjamin:
www.schlaver.com for some photo memories.

May you be richly blessed with peace and love,

David, Paul & Marcia

David E. Schlaver
Holy Cross Missions