LIVES WELL LIVED: Five especially noteworthy alumnae

 

1940: Wendt, Loretta “Loret” Howard undoubtedly passed her sense of humor along to her son, George, the actor best known as “Norm” on TV’s “Cheers,” and her grandson, Jason Sudeikis of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” Mrs. Wendt, who died last July 25, helped start Choices for Humor Enhancement Education and Renewal (CHEER), a humor and healing group, at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, IL, where all of her children were born. The program uses various media to provide humor as a source of healing. In 2003 to celebrate her 50 years as an LCMH volunteer, the longtime South Side resident received the Sister Nancy Boyle Award for Excellence. Survivors include four daughters, 3 sons, 23 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

 

1942: Liston, Patricia Limperis, a lifelong teacher, died in January. During her teaching career with the Chicago Public Schools, Mrs. Liston received Golden Apple Awards in the special education area in 1978 and 1981 while she served as assistant principal at Holden Elementary School. Survivors include her husband, James, four sons, a daughter and 20 grandchildren.

 

1952: Conklin, Carole Strauss, a 15-year breast cancer survivor who became a fundraiser for cancer research, died last Oct. 7. Following her cancer treatment, Mrs. Conklin volunteered for a few years for the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and then, in 2001 and 2002, she was co-chair of the Foundation Chicago affiliate’s Race for the Cure, a major event. A South Suburban resident, Mrs. Conklin worked in the airline, car rental and packaging industries. Survivors include her husband, Don; three sons, eight grandchildren and a sister, Laurel Strauss Krieps ’57.

 

1952: Fluder, Carol McElroy, who started a support group for parents who had lost a child to suicide, died in January. In 1978 Mrs. Fluder and her husband, Ernest, lost a college-age daughter, Teresa, to suicide. Through Catholic Charities they formed a permanent program, Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide (LOSS). A retired registered nurse, Mrs. Fluder also founded a chapter of the Resolve Through Sharing parents’ bereavement support program at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights. Survivors include her husband, a son, three daughters, eight grandchildren and a sister, Rosemary McElroy ’48.

 

1978: Rosalind “Roz” Glanton died unexpectedly last November. Ms. Glanton, whose hobby was photography, was a member of the Chicago Alliance of African American Photographers. Her work was chosen for inclusion in CAAPS’ retrospective exhibit at the Woodson regional public library. Rosalind was a provider network consultant at Blue Cross Blue Shield. She is survived by her mother, Barbara Glanton; a brother, Timothy; a sister-in-law and a nephew.