Lora Arnold

Lora Arnold, nee Marocchi, of Lombard, died Thursday, Aug. 9.
Funeral services are being held today, Aug. 15, from Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, to Mass at St. Pius X Church in Lombard. Interment is at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
Mrs. Arnold is survived by her children, Felicia (Bill) Kowalczyk and Fred; four grandchildren; siblings, Eleanor (John) Culotta, Edo (Mary) Marocchi, Fred (Mary Ellen) Marocchi and Josephine (the late Frank) Chilelli; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Maria Marocchi; husband, William; and brother, Edward (Barbara) Marocchi.
For more information, call 630-832-4161 or visit www.steuerlefh.com.

Mary Bleeden

Mary Catherine Bleeden, 44, of Wheaton, died Thursday, Aug. 9, in Lombard.
Funeral services were held Monday, Aug. 13, with prayers from Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard, to Mass at St. Pius X Church in Lombard. Interment was at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.
Mrs. Bleeden is survived by her husband, Joseph; children, Trevor and Abigail; parents, James and Linda Guglielmo of Lombard, best friend and sister, Fran (Don) Skelly; three nephews; mother-in-law, Carol Bleeden; many nieces and nephews; and she was a cousin, niece and friend to many. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Tracey; father-in-law, Ron Bleeden; and grandparents, Joseph (the late Josephine) Rini, and Michael (the late Caroline) Guglielmo.
Mrs. Bleeden was married for 22 years. She loved her kids and enjoyed taking them shopping. She also loved the holidays and Facebook.
Call 630-620-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.

Elizabeth M. Florin

Elizabeth M. Florin, nee Lenz, 94, of Lombard, Ill, formerly of Waterloo, Ill., died Thursday, Aug. 9, in Lombard.
A memorial service was held at Lexington Health Care Center in Lombard, Ill., on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, with the Rev. Elton Heimsoth and the Rev. Richard Olson officiating. Interment was at Liberty Ridge Cemetery in Liberty Ridge, Wis.
Mrs. Florin is survived by her daughters, Diann (Richard) Olson of Lombard, Ill., and E. Louanne (Tom) Theiss of Greenville, Ill.; grandchildren, Karyn (John) Feuling, Shari (Lee) Yelverton, Dawn (Marcelo) Costilla, Debbie (David) Lieber, Mark (Meghan) Theiss and Renee (Bryan) Childs; 16 great-grandchildren; sister, Dorothea Beechey; and sister-in-law, Eleanor Lenz. She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert L. and Dorothea Olga (nee Peters) Lenz; husband of 64 years, the Rev. Ervin Florin; and brothers, Albert, Donald and Lyle Lenz.
Mrs. Florin was born Aug. 17, 1917, in Stitzer, Wis. She was loved by many and will be in our hearts forever.
Memorials to the donor’s choice would be appreciated.
Arrangements were made by Quernheim Funeral Home, 800 S. Market St., Waterloo, Ill.

Dolores Fry

Dolores A. Fry, nee Schwertfeger, 81, of Lombard, died Saturday, Aug. 4.
Funeral services were held Friday, Aug. 10, at Brust Villa Park Funeral Home, 305 S. Princeton, Villa Park. Interment was private.
Mrs. Fry is survived by her husband, Milton H.; children, William (Karla), Mary (Stanley) Sliwa, Glen Sr. and Wayne of Lombard; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; brother, Leo Schwertfeger; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, John; and sisters-in-law, Clara and Josephine Schwertfeger.
Mrs. Fry was a resident of Lombard for 25 years and was formerly of Oak Brook.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to the American Cancer Society, 1801 S. Meyers, Suite 100, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181; or CNS Hospice, 690 E. North Ave., Carol Stream, IL 60188, would be appreciated. For more information, call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com.

Margaret Maher

A memorial visitation for Margaret T. “Marge” Maher, nee Sheppard, 75, of Lombard, will be held today, Aug. 15, at Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park. A memorial Mass will be held Thursday, Aug. 16, at St. Pius X Church in Lombard.
Mrs. Maher is survived by her children, Patty (John) Klingelhoffer, Mary (Bob) Holtz, Jack (Lisa), Kathleen (Sue Ryder) Maher and Tom (Elaine); 11 grandchildren; siblings, John (Joan), Thomas (Patricia), George (Donna) Sheppard, Mary (the late Robert) Maher and Rosanne (Michael) Pawlowski; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, John J. Jr.; and brother, James (Katy) Sheppard.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Doctors Without Borders would be appreciated.
For more information, call 630-832-4161 or visit www.steuerlefh.com.

Edward Puchalski

Funeral services for Edward Puchalski, 73, were held Friday, Aug. 10, at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in Villa Park. Interment was at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.
Mr. Puchalski is survived by his wife, Anna Mae; daughter, Vanessa (Karl) Krynen; three grandchildren; siblings, Virginia (the late Ed) Mydlowski and Stanley Penar; and several nieces and nephews.
Mr. Puchalski was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Arrangements were made by Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park. Call 630-832-4161 or visit www.steuerlefh.com for more information.

Sophia Seremak

Sophia A. Seremak, nee Frankiewicz, 92, of Lombard, died Saturday, Aug. 11, at Lexington Health Care in Lombard.
Visitation will be today, Aug. 15, at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Aug. 16, from the funeral home to Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lombard. Interment is at St. Adalbert Cemetery in Niles.
Mrs. Seremak is survived by her sons, William (Dolores) and Richard (Pamela); seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, William; and three brothers and five sisters.
Mrs. Seremak was a resident of Lombard since 1951. She was a loving wife, mother and friend to many who will be missed. She enjoyed her coffee at McDonald's with her friends.
In lieu of flowers, Masses are preferred.
Call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.

Matilda Sochacki

Mathilda Sochacki, nee Senft, 86, of Lombard, died Saturday, Aug. 11, in Lombard.
Visitation is being held Thursday, Aug. 16, at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard, with prayers from the funeral home to Mass at Christ the King Church in Lombard. Interment is at Assumption Cemetery in Wheaton.
Mrs. Sochacki is survived by her children, Regina Sluderski, Irene and Robert (Katherine) of Lombard; son-in-law, Ralph Potter; two grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and dearest cousin, Ella Mueller. She was preceded in death by her husband, Peter; daughter, Maria Potter; son-in-law, Joseph Sluderski; and cousin, Philip Mueller.
Mrs. Sochacki was a resident of Lombard for 18 years and was formerly of Chicago. She was active at Christ the King Church, was an avid gardener, loved to crochet and loved to cook.
Please omit flowers. Donations to the wishes of the family or the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Illinois Chapter, 8430 W. Bryn Mawr, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60631, would be appreciated.
Call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.

Paul Stanley Szymanski

Paul Stanley Szymanski, a man with the mind of a rocket scientist and the heart of the most innocent among us, died on Aug. 7, without a hint of fear, a single enemy in this world, or any regret greater than the desire to live one more day of a life that he forged on his own terms, in his own style, and in his own time.
Services were private.
He was preceded in death by his beloved father, Stanley Szymanski; and is survived by his mother, Mrs. Elinor Szymanski, of Lombard, Ill.; his sister, Bobbie Roeske, of Lombard, Ill.; his brother, Steve Szymanski, of Pittsburgh, Penn.; nieces, Holly Roeske and Dana Roeske; nephews, Michael and Thomas Szymanski; and many friends.
His family and friends will feel the loss of his life, ideas and laughter forever, and will live always in wonder at the bravery of his dying and living.
Paul envied no one, walked in no man’s shadow, was often alone and never lonely, and was indifferent to the vanity and power of material success, finding real interest only in the primal forces of spiritual peace, simple pleasures, family, friendship, music, idealism and imagination.
A 1966 graduate of Glenbard East High School, he received degrees from the University of Illinois in aeronautical and astronomical engineering, and the University of Oregon in television, radio and film. Paul was a pioneer in the privatization of space flight, as assistant production manager and launchcrew manager of Starstruck Inc., of California, America’s first private rocket company. He was also assistant chief designer for the American Rocket Company, also of California, helping to develop the industry's first hybrid rocket engine.
Paul, though, was not defined by his work, but by a playful engagement with life that most people postpone until it is too late to find.
His final prayer for those he loved most was that they, too, would find life’s joy, and reach their own peace at the center that makes people whole.
Paul died with a profound belief in heaven, having glimpsed it already in the folds of time, space and dreams, where few travel, and only the luckiest and strongest live.
In his wallet he carried a laminated quote from poet E.E. Cummings: “To be nobody but myself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you somebody else, means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting.”
A celebration of his life will be held later this week, and loved ones may send donations in lieu of other remembrances to Legacy Hopewell House Hospice, P.O. Box 4484, Portland, OR 97208.

Kirk Urso

Kirk J. Urso, 22, of Lombard, died Sunday, Aug. 5, in Ohio.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Aug. 11, at Christ the King Church in Lombard. Interment was at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
Mr. Urso is survived by his parents, Michael and Sandy of Lombard; brother, Kyle; and was a nephew, cousin and friend to many. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, James and Mildred; and maternal grandparents, Albert and MaryAnn Ceponis.
Mr. Urso was a member of the Columbus Crew Professional Soccer Team. He played soccer for Sockers F.C. He was a member of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill National Championship Team, where he was the 2011 team captain.
Per the request of the family, please omit flowers. Donations to the wishes of the family or the American Heart Association would be appreciated.
Arrangements were made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.