North Shore Death Notices: Nov. 14 - Nov. 20

The following death notices were added to funeral homes serving the North Shore area in the past week. Those homes have provided obituaries for some of those that have passed away recently. Patch offers condolences to their loved ones, links to their obituaries and notices of upcoming services below.

Donnellan Funeral Home, 10045 Skokie Boulevard in Skokie

Norbert L. Gold, 93, Winnetka
Visitation and Service Nov. 20

Madalin Lehner Wechselberger, 100, Northbrook
Internment Nov. 22

Francis Anthony Farina, 80, Berkeley, California
Visitation and service Nov. 30

Kip Kelley, 91, Glenview

Elizabeth "Betty" Ann Thomas, 82, Wilmette

Rita Marie McKissic, 72, Skokie

Haben Funeral Home, 8057 Niles Center Road in Skokie

Bertha Cohen née Freckman, 84, Skokie

Simkins Funeral Home, 6251 Dempster Street in Morton Grove

Seta Grace Sarrafian, 84, Morton Grove
Visitation Nov. 21, Service Nov. 22

George A. Stahl, 89, Wilmette
Service Nov. 25

Chicago Jewish Funerals, 8851 Skokie Boulevard in Skokie

Maurice "Mel" Crohn, 92
Service Nov. 20

Charlotte W. Markson
Services pending

Frances Lehman, 98
Services pending

Maurice Tom Taube, 95

Allan Davis, 82

Donna Z. Stein, 79

Barry H. Riback, 79

Mark Spencer Weiss, 68

Reuland & Turnbough Funeral Home, 1407 North Western Avenue in Lake Forest

Frederick A. Deitsch, 67, Glenview

Kelley & Spalding Funeral Home, 1787 Deerfield Road in Highland Park

Robert Emmett “Bob” Matthews, 81, Deerfield
Visitation Nov. 20, Mass Nov. 21

Judith Marie Santi, 62, Highland Park
Visitation and Service Nov. 22

Donald A. Davis, 87, Deerfield
Visitation Nov. 26

Richard Neil Swanson, 68, Deerfield
Service Dec. 2

Robert W. Sharp, 95, Northbrook
Memorial Dec. 8

Joseph S. O’Connor, 91, Bannockburn

Colleen L. Major, 54, Deerfield

Featured Obituary:

Elizabeth "Betty" Ann Thomas, 82, passed away May 24 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Betty was born the daughter of Grace and Joseph Driessen on March 2, 1935 in Appleton, Wisconsin. She was the youngest of four children, Joanie (d.) , Sara (d.), and Joseph (d.). At a young age, she and her family relocated to the Detroit, Michigan area.

Betty went to nursing school at Mercy School of Nursing, Mt. Carmel Hospital in Detroit and graduated in 1955. She went to work as an RN at Detroit Receiving Hospital where she met her future husband Dr. William (Bill) Charles Thomas, Jr. (d. 2013). Betty and Bill wed in 1960 in Detroit and shortly after, moved to Chicago.

They then had their first son William Charles Thomas III (d. 2002) in 1961. In 1968 the family moved to their residence in Wilmette, Illinois.

Bill and Betty celebrated the birth of two more sons, John Joseph of Colorado Springs, CO (b. 1965) and Christopher Philip of Marina Del Rey, CA (b. 1973).

In 2013 Betty lost her beloved husband Bill after 53 years of marriage. She moved from Wilmette to Colorado Springs in late 2014 and remained there, close to her son John and his wife Diane until her death.

Betty was a devoted member of the Catholic Church. She attended St. Joseph’s in Wilmette and also worshipped at Shields Chapel in Evanston, Illinois.

Betty dedicated much of her life to the service of others. After retiring from nursing to raise her children, she eventually found her way back to it and became a Hospice Nurse in the late 80s. She loved her work with hospice and found great spiritual fulfillment in it.

For many years, Betty volunteered as a tutor for children in reading, writing and arithmetic. Betty loved the natural world and was a staunch supporter of many charitable organizations that aimed to improve it. Whether it was concern for the health of the environment or the loss of natural habitat of animals in distant lands, conservation of the natural world’s rich, wild beauty and all the animals that inhabit it, were steadfast concerns of her heart.

She cared equally for the human rights of all others and was an active and peaceful voice for the end of war, oppression, injustice and inequality around the world. One of her favorite experiences was taking part in the construction of a home for Habitat for Humanity alongside former President Jimmy Carter.

She loved to read, she loved birding, and Betty and Bill also loved their dogs. They rescued many through the years. There was never a long stretch of time where a 4-legged family member was not around. Bill and Betty’s last dog Kila is now with her son John and his wife Diane in Colorado.

Betty and her nature may best be defined by her love for her family, love for her neighbors, and even love for strangers. Betty and Bill broke many barriers and defied many odds by believing in their love at a time when the world could not accept it.

Their love and the beautiful lives they lived were a gift to us all and are left as examples to all that love can conquer anything and endures the trials of time. We will always miss and love our dear parents but we find peace in knowing they are once again together above.

Betty is survived by her sons John and Chris, her grandson Colin, and her granddaughters Shannon and Shelby.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to:

Habitat for Humanity
6040 North Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60646

Food for the Poor
6401 Lyons Road
Coconut Creek, FL 33073

The Humane Society
1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 450
Washington, DC 20037

_{via Donnellan Funeral Home}

Last week: North Shore Death Notices: Nov. 7 - Nov. 13