Estelle Syrk
August 08, 1919 - June 24, 2014
Obituary
Syrk, Estelle T.
SUN PRAIRIE-Estelle T. Syrk, age 94, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 24, 2014. Estelle was born in Chicago, Ill., the daughter of Stanley and Mary Lach. She studied at DePaul University in Chicago and the Conservatory of Music in Krakow, Poland. Estelle worked in Catholic schools as an elementary teacher, an organist and a choir director. She loved gardening and had a green thumb for growing shamrock plants. Estelle enjoyed writing, traveling and sharing stories of World War II when she was in Poland. She will be remembered for her great sense of humor and her love of the cultural arts. Estelle is survived by her five children, Nina (Dan) Casper, Christine (Rob) Lockhart, Claudia (Dale) Gibson, Amy (Kevin) Sylve, and Adrian (Holly) Syrk; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Ted Lach; sisters, Helen Wojcik, Lillian Trainor, Adeline Meus and Ann Oberland; and grandson, Terry Lockhart. A Memorial Mass will be held at ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH, 434 N. Main St, Cottage Grove, at 11 a.m., on Tuesday, July, 8, 2014. Burial will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery, Indianapolis, Ind., at a later date. Family will greet family and friends at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass on Tuesday. Memorial gifts may be made to the family as a shared gift for a Gregorian Mass in Estelle’s memory. The family would like to extend a special thanks to SouthernCare Hospice and the staff and residents at The Faith Living Center for their friendship and loving care. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608)221-5420
Events
Visitation
Tue Jul 8, 2014 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CDT
St. Patrick Catholic Church (Cottage Grove) • 434 North Main St, Cottage Grove, WI 53527
Service
Tue Jul 8, 2014 @ 11:00 AM CDT
St. Patrick Catholic Church (Cottage Grove) • 434 North Main St, Cottage Grove, WI 53527
Photos
No photos of Estelle have been shared yet.
Memories
CG
Claudia Gibson
Other •
Mom,
You've given me so many wonderful memories! My most precious are:
- Your gift of music: as children, Nina, Chris and I used to harmonize as we did our family chores.
- Your appreciation of traveling and all the wonderful treasures that await you along the way.
- Your sharing of an article about writing family stories that was the seed to my passion today about researching and writing our family history.
- Your birthday celebration picture with your gesture that "everything is just perfect" that I am passing along to our grandchildren and your great grandchildren.
- Your endearing conversations with me, always asking about how our family was doing.
- Your love of knowledge and discovery that gave me the thirst to find out how and why things work the way they do.
- Your heartwarming "Thanks for calling" that I am passing along to others when they call, to honor your special tradition.
- And, your spiritual message of the theme song to the "Sound of Music", letting me know you are experiencing phenomenal joy and peace in heaven.
I love you, Mom!
Claudia
CG
Claudia Gibson
Other •
May all these wonderful memories pass on to those who knew you.
SW
Susan and Bob Wojcik
Other •
Dear Sweet Aunt Estelle,
She was the Busha for our children after theirs died. When our Grandma Helen was gone, Estelle stepped in to fill in the family blanks. What a wonderful thoughtful grandma type she was! She would visit, send the kids a card and a small monetary gift to show that she was thinking of them, we would talk on the phone often, she would write notes and and otherwise show an interest in our family and we in hers. She always wanted to know how everyone was doing and remembered every detail.
Estelle was a woman before her time. Her youth was filled with exciting and scary times. She had the foresight to record her memories so that those remaining would one day be able to relive the secrets of the past. How exciting and challenging a life she lived in the early days. She had to fight for "survival" in many ways both on the home front and in Europe.
Next came the early days of marriage and raising children. Happy times. Later some challenges required her to step up to the plate once more to fend for herself. She finally moved to WI where she again was required to help nurture children, something which she had done as a teacher, mother, grandma. Estelle was a survivor. She loved her family with a passion that only a mother knows. She will truly be missed by many.