Our 2019 Honor Banner Entry in Arlington Heights Centennial Memorial Day Parade

Arlington Cares!

It was never so evident that Arlington does care, with the amazing parade and tribute to fallen veterans and those who wear our country’s uniform in the name of Protecting our Freedom everyday. All over the world. That’s a sacrifice we recognize every day, but honor particularly on Memorial Day.

The Centennial Parade and Service was smiled upon with absolutely gorgeous weather for the public events. While the skies opened up later in the day, the weather cooperated during the official events for thousands upon thousands of spectators who enthusiastically cheered, (roared even!) along the parade route.

With nearly 200 volunteers in our Honor Banner Entry, we were able to honor every veteran by representing them with a banner on a family member or volunteer. From the littlest children, to hearty seniors who marched with us, the sea of Red, White & Blue never looked so glorious as we passed through downtown on our way to Memorial Park. The energy from the crowd of neighbors and visitors was more than 10 deep along the route, as far as the eye can see.

Arlington Heights is our home. We’re always proud to be members of this community. But, on days like these, it’s even more special. When the public festivities were completed, an hour or so later the skies opened up and the rain came. Some old soldiers believe that “rain symbolizes the tears for those who’ve gone before us and offered up the ultimate sacrifice”. After 100 years of sacrifice from this community and every community in our blessed country, it’s easy to believe that every veteran was recognized with those tears.

Thank you to every neighbor, friend, group and the organizers for this wonderful event. We did the “Community of Good Neighbors” proud!

Contact Glueckert Funeral Home for any information or questions you may have.

To Connect with Glueckert Funeral Home:
Website: http://www.glueckertfuneralhome.com/
Blog: https://glueckertfh.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlueckertFuneralHome
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlueckertFH

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Rita Mary Calabrese

Obituary for Rita Mary Calabrese

 

 

Rita Mary Calabrese (maiden name Howlett) passed May 2019 from Alzheimer’s disease.  Rita was born in March 1930 and was 89 years old.  She is survived by her three children: Son Michael (Barbara Pape) Calabrese, Daughter Patricia (Brian Blome) Calabrese, and Son James (Bradley Bowden) Calabrese.  She is also survived by her three grandchildren Anthony, Carravita, and Evan.

Rita grew up on the west side of Chicago in an Irish neighborhood.  She graduated Loyola HS in 1948 and worked as a secretary for 7 years.  She met the love of her life, Victor Calabrese, at a Sunday tea dance in 1953.   They were married in 1956 and their eldest son (Michael) was born in 1957.

While raising 3 children, Rita went to college at night and earned a B.A. in Education from Northeastern University in 1971.  She taught in the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago school system for over 25 years before retiring.  She was always very proud of being a teacher, the iron fist with the velvet glove.

Unfortunately, in 1981, Victor passed from heart disease.  They were married 25 years and Rita survived an additional 37 years after his passing.

After Vic passed, Rita learned to enjoy life with family and friends as a widow.  She enjoyed ballroom dancing, socializing with friends, arts & crafts, family gatherings, and ‘hanging’ with her kids.  She took several trips to Europe and vacations to Florida with her beloved friend Frank Morrison.

In 2006, Rita was diagnosed with ALZ.  She was fortunate enough to live at Belmont Village, an assisted living community that specializes in ALZ, for the past 8 years as her health deteriorated. They took wonderful care of her until her passing.

Thanks to Jim, the family has wonderful videos and memories of Rita they will cherish forever.  Rita loved her kids unconditionally and protected and encouraged them.  She was a pragmatic, fun-loving, spiritual woman who her children greatly admired.   She knew the importance of family, love, & laughter.  We will miss you Rita…. THANK YOU does not begin to express our gratitude.   We were truly blessed to have you as our mother.   Rest in Peace with Vic….we love you both!

In lieu of flowers, there is link to an ALZ charity that focuses on research:

Your Donation Brings Us Closer to a Cure

 

 

 

PROVIDING SERVICE IN THE CITY OF GOOD NEIGHBORS COMES WITH SOME RESPONSIBILITY AND A LEGACY TO LIVE UP TO

John and Rosanna Glueckert understood early on what it meant to love and promote their community of Arlington Heights. The City’s motto of “City of Good Neighbors” was one businesses and residents alike were aware of and challenged to live up to. So, when John Jr., Marcie and Jackie were growing up, they got “early and often” lessons about community service from their parents. The Glueckert parents didn’t just ‘send’ them out to help, they ‘brought’ them out to help with every civic organization, service organization, churches, schools, you name it, the family was involved. Maybe the best part of the Legacy is how many friends they’ve made over the years and how much they’ve truly enjoyed all these events.

Glueckert Funeral Home sponsors events all year round, including the Memorial Day Flag Unit in the parade, Relay for Life, Bus Tour of Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery for Veterans, a Holiday Remembrance Service and many other charitable events and drives throughout the community. This past year, the Glueckert’s were proud to be involved in Opioid Awareness Week, and the campaign to KeepAlive2155, the number of persons projected to die from an accidental overdose in the current year. They held classes in administering life-saving Naloxone, in addition to helping provide and distribute the kits. That’s part of the responsibility of being a good neighbor too; healing. The family and staff are members in the service organizations in town; Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, local PTAs and other organizations. They treasure all the relationships and friendships that have grown from being involved.

And, if you need our family, we’ll be there for you. Whether it’s At-Need, or Pre-Planning, feel free to contact us at 847.253.0168 or www.glueckertfuneral.com

 

To Connect with Glueckert Funeral Home:

Website: http://www.glueckertfuneralhome.com/

Blog: https://glueckertfh.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlueckertFuneralHome

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlueckertFH

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/glueckertfh

Our Desire is to Serve the Families at our Highest Capacity

“What separates us from other funeral homes is our experience listening to families and learning what will personalize their services in the most effective way. We’re here to serve them and make this difficult process as special and meaningful as possible” is how Matthew Bennett, a Manager and very gifted Funeral Director states the mission at Glueckert Funeral Home. He adds that the resources and freedom to meet the family’s desires, along with the strengths of many professionals and colleagues at Glueckert make that mission easier to fulfill. For Matt, that means whatever might be necessary to help a family in their greatest time of need is almost always readily available and able to be provided in the short planning horizon families have to deal with so many important details.

“To be able to listen, understand and then plan and provide the full range of service a family desires sets us apart. That’s a big reward for me in serving these wonderful families.” Glueckert Funeral Home is committed to ensuring this is the case every time you have a need for our service.

Whether planning a service at the time of need or pre-planning funeral services, the Glueckert Staff is here to help you, day or night. For more information or to answer any questions you may have (click here).

Please call 847-253-0168 with any questions you may have.

 

To Connect with Glueckert Funeral Home:

Website: http://www.glueckertfuneralhome.com/
Blog: https://glueckertfh.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlueckertFuneralHome
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlueckertFH

A Conversation with a Tender-Hearted Mortician And His Church-Going Family Bonded by Love

http://exodustrekkers.blogspot.com/2019/01/a-conversation-with-our-tender-hearted.html

Glueckert – 2018 Holiday Luminary Remembrance Service

 

View our 2018 Holiday Luminary Remembrance Service

We thank all of those who attended our Annual Holiday Luminary Remembrance Service. As has become our custom, we videotaped the service for families to have a chance to see it again, and for family members near and far who could not be in attendance with us. The Glueckert Family remains grateful to all of the families who entrust us with the care of your loved ones over generations of your family and ours. We also remain committed to sharing the joy of their memories with you every year at this wonderful gathering of people who help each other celebrate the lives of the people they cherished and continue to cherish.

We have 2 videos for you. One is a couple of minutes in length, highlighting the environs and the response to the service. The other is 55 minutes and contains the full service featuring all of the readings, songs, reflections and memorials. We hope these bring some comfort to you this season and throughout the entire year. We thank all of you for coming or viewing this service on our website or social media sites. We also thank our amazing staff of professionals here for their incredible participation in this service and in the service of all of the families we are privileged to take care of. Those professionals are every bit our family too.

View full service.

 

Please share these with any families you know who may not have been able to join us.

To Connect with Glueckert Funeral Home:

Website: http://www.glueckertfuneralhome.com/

Blog: https://glueckertfh.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlueckertFuneralHome

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlueckertFH

In Remembrance of Donna Lange

 

Our Family and Our Community have suffered a loss.

The Glueckert Family has suffered a profound loss. Our family extends to every person who is part of our providential mission to comfort families at their most difficult times. That includes all of us, the immediate Glueckert family and all of our staff family who carry out the most important ministry there is for people who have experienced a loss.

We hurt. We lost Donna Lange.

Donna was a truly exceptional funeral director.  Graceful and gracious. So many families could attest to her compassionate,  professional guidance and service to them in circumstances that were unbearable in their sadness and loss. Her professional colleagues, brothers, and sisters really, feel the incredible loss of a colleague, a dear friend, and a beloved member of their work family.

Donna embraced every service and outreach ministry we engaged in. More so, she did it with an eagerness that highlighted her zest for helping other people. It was in the fabric of her DNA to be a helper, and to bring unbridled enthusiasm to every effort she was part of. We do a lot of outreach here. That would be entirely impossible without a person like Donna, who was a fully devoted member of our Opioid Awareness Team, a vigorous Flag Waver and a member of the honor guard at our Memorial Day Parade entry and other Veteran’s events we were part of or hosted. Our families who attended the Christmas Luminary Remembrance Service will remember Donna’s welcoming smile and comforting words and know without doubt just how happy she was to see all of them again after the services for their loved ones were completed. They’ll also remember how absolutely beautiful she looked at these events. They were special to her and she dressed to the nines, willing to endure the discomfort of high heels and other fashion inconveniences!  For the families she served and the family she represented, Donna was more than willing to go the extra mile. Always.

We will miss Donna here. For everything she did and who she was. Her husband Scott and daughters Maxine and Suzanne were always part of the Donna package. They loved her enough to be as big a part of everything we did, and do it with a bright disposition and smiles and wonderful humor.  Donna inspired all of us that way. As a family, they brought levity to our entire family at work. She volunteered her family for everything we did. There was no reason for her to ask them first. She knew that what was important to her, was important to them. Being universally loved is a gift; a gift Donna possessed in magnitude.

In passing, Donna continued giving as an organ donor. It would surprise no one that her generosity existed beyond her life here. To know that others are living and thriving because of Donna’s generous life gifts is something we can continue to admire about this remarkable woman.

It will remain a mystery how tragic things can happen to such truly good people. We are at one with all the families we serve as we cope with and grieve our own very personal and difficult loss. As always, our prayers will remain with all of you. Please pray for Scott, Maxine, Suzanne and Donna’s family as well. If we can be so humble as to ask, please pray for our whole Glueckert Family of Directors and Staff. Our loss is profound.