One of our church members, Bessie Schweiss passed away last week and the services were at the church. Her obituary may be found at http://www.wheelanpressly.com/obituaries/
Here are my remarks at the service, as some have asked for them:
Bessie Schweiss
July 10, 1909 – May 23, 2009
On Tuesday, May 19 I had lunch with Bessie at Friendship Manor, in the dining hall. At this time we have a number of church members who are residents there, so our Parish Nurse, Mary Oelschlaeger, organizes lunches every couple of months so that we can visit our members, and help them stay in touch with each other. So Bessie and I, along with the church secretary sat together at table. Bessie was very much herself. We talked a little about the building that is falling down in Morrison, that was on the news. I had learned not to ask Bessie how old she was, but rather to ask “What year were you born in?” She replied, “1909.” So you are going to be a hundred this summer. “Just a day, like any other,” she replied. That was Bessie, crusty but warm. But she was pretty much herself, and on top of things. I was surprised when I got a call that next Saturday saying that Bessie had passed away.
Bessie Devenney was born in Prophetstown. She said that her dad was an auctioneer, known as the man with the leather lungs. Mr. Lamphere, her first husband was a barber, and together they lived in Morrison, Sheffield and Prophetstown, as well as in California during the second world war – where he was a Navy barber. They had two sons.
Bessie moved to Rock Island in 1967 and married Francis Schweiss, who was a member of the Church of Peace. She joined the church at that time, but had always been a Methodist. This gave Bessie and I something in common.
Bessie enjoyed her family. “She beat us at Yatze,” recalled one family member. “She read us books,” said another. She and her younger brother drove to Pennsylvania for a family reunion when Bessie was 89 and he was about 87. She liked to travel, and she liked family reunions, so they went.
Bessie kept track of people – especially her large family. One grandson talked about how it was fun to go with Bessie about the first of the month to a card store where she could get cards to mark the birthdays and other family events. She would look through cards to find just the right one for each person. Sometimes she would buy some 20 cards. “She was fun to watch,” he recalled.
At her 90th birthday her family coordinated a “card party” where they alerted others and asked them to send Bessie a card. She received some 125 cards!
Bessie was social. She bowled till she was well into her eighties. She loved life. She liked to be around people. Well, most people. We asked her once when she was living at the tower why she did not go downstairs and have a meal with the others. She said she did not like being around all those “old people.” That was sometimes her criticism of Friendship Manor, “too many old people,” though it was actually pretty good for her. She liked to swap jokes with people. “How many people are buried in the cemetery?” was one of hers. “All of them,” is the reply.
Bessie was a Chicago Cubs fan, and hoped to live long enough to see them win the World Series.
Bessie drove with a family member in her car to the driver’s license station to get her license renewed when she was 96 years old. The car died in the parking lot, and Bessie took that as a sign she should not get another license. They rode back to town in the tow truck.
When Bessie first moved into Friendship Manor our Parish Nurse asked her if there was anything that she wanted, that she could bring her. “A beer and a book.” Mary brought her both. A couple of her Tri Mu Circle friends brought Bessie a beer as well.
Bessie was funny and she was fun. She could surprise you with what she would say, but she was enjoyable to be with. She was one of those people who could give you a handle to get to know her – bring her a pig for her collection, bring her a book or a beer and she would be pleased. Bessie would tell you what she thought if you would ask her.
She will be missed. We thank God for Bessie and her good long life, her large and loyal family, and we thank God that Bessie was able to be herself and enjoy her good long life right to the end.
Amen and amen.
July 10, 1909 – May 23, 2009
On Tuesday, May 19 I had lunch with Bessie at Friendship Manor, in the dining hall. At this time we have a number of church members who are residents there, so our Parish Nurse, Mary Oelschlaeger, organizes lunches every couple of months so that we can visit our members, and help them stay in touch with each other. So Bessie and I, along with the church secretary sat together at table. Bessie was very much herself. We talked a little about the building that is falling down in Morrison, that was on the news. I had learned not to ask Bessie how old she was, but rather to ask “What year were you born in?” She replied, “1909.” So you are going to be a hundred this summer. “Just a day, like any other,” she replied. That was Bessie, crusty but warm. But she was pretty much herself, and on top of things. I was surprised when I got a call that next Saturday saying that Bessie had passed away.
Bessie Devenney was born in Prophetstown. She said that her dad was an auctioneer, known as the man with the leather lungs. Mr. Lamphere, her first husband was a barber, and together they lived in Morrison, Sheffield and Prophetstown, as well as in California during the second world war – where he was a Navy barber. They had two sons.
Bessie moved to Rock Island in 1967 and married Francis Schweiss, who was a member of the Church of Peace. She joined the church at that time, but had always been a Methodist. This gave Bessie and I something in common.
Bessie enjoyed her family. “She beat us at Yatze,” recalled one family member. “She read us books,” said another. She and her younger brother drove to Pennsylvania for a family reunion when Bessie was 89 and he was about 87. She liked to travel, and she liked family reunions, so they went.
Bessie kept track of people – especially her large family. One grandson talked about how it was fun to go with Bessie about the first of the month to a card store where she could get cards to mark the birthdays and other family events. She would look through cards to find just the right one for each person. Sometimes she would buy some 20 cards. “She was fun to watch,” he recalled.
At her 90th birthday her family coordinated a “card party” where they alerted others and asked them to send Bessie a card. She received some 125 cards!
Bessie was social. She bowled till she was well into her eighties. She loved life. She liked to be around people. Well, most people. We asked her once when she was living at the tower why she did not go downstairs and have a meal with the others. She said she did not like being around all those “old people.” That was sometimes her criticism of Friendship Manor, “too many old people,” though it was actually pretty good for her. She liked to swap jokes with people. “How many people are buried in the cemetery?” was one of hers. “All of them,” is the reply.
Bessie was a Chicago Cubs fan, and hoped to live long enough to see them win the World Series.
Bessie drove with a family member in her car to the driver’s license station to get her license renewed when she was 96 years old. The car died in the parking lot, and Bessie took that as a sign she should not get another license. They rode back to town in the tow truck.
When Bessie first moved into Friendship Manor our Parish Nurse asked her if there was anything that she wanted, that she could bring her. “A beer and a book.” Mary brought her both. A couple of her Tri Mu Circle friends brought Bessie a beer as well.
Bessie was funny and she was fun. She could surprise you with what she would say, but she was enjoyable to be with. She was one of those people who could give you a handle to get to know her – bring her a pig for her collection, bring her a book or a beer and she would be pleased. Bessie would tell you what she thought if you would ask her.
She will be missed. We thank God for Bessie and her good long life, her large and loyal family, and we thank God that Bessie was able to be herself and enjoy her good long life right to the end.
Amen and amen.
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