Sophie Kurczak

We are all reading these words because we loved and continue to love Sophie – as a Grandmother, Wife, Mother, Sister, Aunt, and Friend. I'm sure everyone could share a way in which Sophie touched your life. I know we are all grieving today, but I also know wherever she is now Sophie would be happy that we are all together in our spirit. I hope that through this day, we all continue to share the positive memories of being together and the happy stories of Sophie. Her grandchildren used to spend nearly every weekend at Sophie and Walter's house when they were growing up. They would arrive late on Friday and would usually listen to Grandpa's stories in bed until they fell asleep. Sophie would usually be the one to wake them up with a knock on the bedroom door on Saturday morning. She woke them up for no other reason except for being excited about spending a full day with her grandchildren. They would go shopping for clothes or sometimes drive North to Lake Geneva. Undoubtedly, Grandma would always make them order soup with lunch – she always doted upon us and loved her grandkids. She gave complete, unconditional love and her grandchildren were truly blessed to have her as a grandmother. Most of us know the house on Pittsburg Avenue in Chicago that was such a special gathering place for us all – a warm home with a wonderful yard with fruit trees, roses, and an incredible garden. Many of the people here today carry our best and most magical memories of Christmas Eve from the long table we jigsawed together in the basement – kids at one end, adults at the other. As someone who was there, I was only blissfully happy to be there with everyone as we all ate and talked and later played with toys on the tiles of the basement floor. Sophie was always the one who wanted to open the presents early. Now, in retrospect and realizing how much Sophie and Walter put into Christmas eve every year – and how they did it together so well - making the work seemingly effortless – it is an amazing example of their partnership and the grace of their teamwork. The partnership of Sophie and Walter is one of the beautiful and wonderful achievements of her life and is also celebrated, and honored today. Sophie also had strong ideas, convictions and a deep caring and empathy for the less fortunate people of the world. To all of us who loved her, it was easy to recognize that the strength of her beliefs were in harmony with a devoted and gentle caring for her family, friends and the less fortunate people of the world. Even at times when times were very tight for herself and her family, Sophie always insisted on sharing something to help those who needed help: hungry children, the homeless, and other charities managed by the religious center of her faith – the Catholic Church. Today we are laying Sophie to rest and feeling that her soul is at peace and in a beautiful place surrounded by loving people from her life. We remember her strength of character and the tenderness of her nature. We are remembering what a special and beloved person she was to all of us and taking with us the examples she set with her long life. We are gathered here today as a loving family to Sophie and to each other. We will all miss Sophie as we also honor and remember with gratitude how much you gave to all of us and the positive example you set. I love Sophie and am a better and happier person for being in her family. We will miss her presence, and with happiness and gratitude, will always keep her in our hearts. Readings: A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 14:7-9, 10c-12 Brothers and sisters: No one lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why then do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. So then each of us shall give an accounting of himself to God. The word of the Lord. From the Book of Ecclesiastes - Everything Has Its Time To every thing there is a season, and a time for every matter under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.