1953
Patricia
2025
Patricia Schulze
September 15, 1953 — February 2, 2025
Patricia Schulze (née Chisholm), 71, of Roselle, IL, passed away peacefully after a long illness on February 2, 2025, surrounded by family.
Always one to be early, Patricia was born premature in Northlake, IL, catching her parents by surprise. She was so small that she had to wear her older sisters’ dolls’ clothes home from the hospital. The Chisholms were a close-knit family, enjoying card games and several traditions including baking Christmas cookies and annual summer trips to Gilbert Lake in Wild Rose, WI. Patricia continued these traditions with her own family.
Patricia met the love of her life, Dean, while waitressing at Jake’s Pizza. He fell in love with her effervescent energy and strength of character. Plus, she was pretty darn cute. On a snowy afternoon, Patricia and Dean were married on December 1, 1979. The couple added to their family with two children, Helene and Karl, to whom she passed down her love of reading. Ovaltine, snuggles, and bedtime stories are some of her children’s fondest memories of her.
Early in her work life, Patricia often worked in retail and waitressing concurrently with office jobs at firms including the American Motors Corporation and Bankers Trust. She ended her career as the head secretary at Spring Hills Elementary School, becoming indispensable to the daily functioning of the school. She retired in 2018.
Patricia will be remembered for her love of basset hounds and her recently discovered sense of adventure. In the last few years, Patricia enjoyed traveling with her family, roadtripping across the United States, visiting Scotland and Ireland, and at long last putting her toes in the Great Lakes for the first time on a trip in summer 2024.
One of Patricia’s greatest strengths was her willingness to invest time into others. An excellent listener, Patricia often unwittingly turned strangers into friends. She paid attention to what people needed, manifesting as an excellent gift-giving ability. Moreover, Patricia spent several years taking care of her mother Ruth towards the end of her mom’s life. She was there for Ruth until her last breath. In more recent years, she loved spending time cooking with her daughter-in-law, discussing podcasts and books with her son, going on walks and bike rides with her husband, and kayaking with her daughter.
Patricia will be remembered for her unassuming quips and the way that she laughed. Her family will always imagine her saying, “Keep your interval,” whenever driving too close behind another car. They could not have asked for a better wife, mother, sister, and friend. Her loss will be felt every day, but her story and the values that she lived by will continue on in the hearts and memories of those who love her.
Patricia is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Ruth Chisholm, her four beloved basset hounds and her childhood dog, Bingo. She is survived by her husband Dean, children Helene and Karl (Sharada), sisters Marlene (Joseph) DiCianni and Kathleen (John) Schlichting, and many nieces and nephews.
The family will be having a private memorial. Donations to Guardian Angel Basset Rescue or the American Liver Foundation would be greatly appreciated. For information, please contact Countryside Funeral Home, 630-529-5751.
Always one to be early, Patricia was born premature in Northlake, IL, catching her parents by surprise. She was so small that she had to wear her older sisters’ dolls’ clothes home from the hospital. The Chisholms were a close-knit family, enjoying card games and several traditions including baking Christmas cookies and annual summer trips to Gilbert Lake in Wild Rose, WI. Patricia continued these traditions with her own family.
Patricia met the love of her life, Dean, while waitressing at Jake’s Pizza. He fell in love with her effervescent energy and strength of character. Plus, she was pretty darn cute. On a snowy afternoon, Patricia and Dean were married on December 1, 1979. The couple added to their family with two children, Helene and Karl, to whom she passed down her love of reading. Ovaltine, snuggles, and bedtime stories are some of her children’s fondest memories of her.
Early in her work life, Patricia often worked in retail and waitressing concurrently with office jobs at firms including the American Motors Corporation and Bankers Trust. She ended her career as the head secretary at Spring Hills Elementary School, becoming indispensable to the daily functioning of the school. She retired in 2018.
Patricia will be remembered for her love of basset hounds and her recently discovered sense of adventure. In the last few years, Patricia enjoyed traveling with her family, roadtripping across the United States, visiting Scotland and Ireland, and at long last putting her toes in the Great Lakes for the first time on a trip in summer 2024.
One of Patricia’s greatest strengths was her willingness to invest time into others. An excellent listener, Patricia often unwittingly turned strangers into friends. She paid attention to what people needed, manifesting as an excellent gift-giving ability. Moreover, Patricia spent several years taking care of her mother Ruth towards the end of her mom’s life. She was there for Ruth until her last breath. In more recent years, she loved spending time cooking with her daughter-in-law, discussing podcasts and books with her son, going on walks and bike rides with her husband, and kayaking with her daughter.
Patricia will be remembered for her unassuming quips and the way that she laughed. Her family will always imagine her saying, “Keep your interval,” whenever driving too close behind another car. They could not have asked for a better wife, mother, sister, and friend. Her loss will be felt every day, but her story and the values that she lived by will continue on in the hearts and memories of those who love her.
Patricia is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Ruth Chisholm, her four beloved basset hounds and her childhood dog, Bingo. She is survived by her husband Dean, children Helene and Karl (Sharada), sisters Marlene (Joseph) DiCianni and Kathleen (John) Schlichting, and many nieces and nephews.
The family will be having a private memorial. Donations to Guardian Angel Basset Rescue or the American Liver Foundation would be greatly appreciated. For information, please contact Countryside Funeral Home, 630-529-5751.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Patricia Schulze, please visit our flower store.
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