Elizabeth A Schwab

Elizabeth A Schwab died peacefully at Lightways Hospice on May 11, at the age of 91 after a long battle with dementia and COPD, among many other ailments. “Betty” was a life-long educator, having taught all grades in elementary school at different points in her life. She loved history, as well as the English language, always in search of new words in her beloved NY Times. She was a consummate grammarian, in love with well-written sentences and the flow of words, as well as being a stickler for proper grammar.

Betty's love of nature led her to vacation in many different national parks over the years, her favorites being in the west and southwest of the country. She loved being a witness to God’s beauty. Her love of history pushed her to learn about many different Native American tribes, many of whom she supported by adding to her collection of Native American nativity sets. She loved learning about different cultures and regions of the US, and vacationed annually in search of new learning opportunities and was generally willing to partake in safe adventures.

Because of her educator profession, she spent her summers participating in ping pong tournaments in the basement with any of the kids in the neighborhood. She was very active in the upbringing of not only her own children, but also any of the neighborhood kids who were often at the house. She loved being a grandmother and did her best to instill a love of learning in each of her grandkids.

Betty is survived by her husband, Ron, who doted on her at every hour; her brother-in-law, Fred; her children, Nancy (Brian) Werner, and Maribeth (Marc) Williams; 3 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Neal and Stephanie Sloan, her brother Philip Sloan, and her brother Rev. Thomas Sloan. She leaves behind many cousins and beloved friends.

A visitation will be held at McKenzie Funeral Home in Oak Forest on Friday, May 16th, from 9am to 11am. Funeral procession will head to St George Catholic Church in Tinley Park for a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30am, with a luncheon to follow.