Catherine Scheid
We regretfully announce the passing of Catherine Marie Scheid, Age 66, of Palatine, Illinois. Cathy passed away at home on January 24, 2022, after a short but valiant battle with cancer.
There will be no in-person memorial service now, but we plan to hold a celebration of Cathy’s life in the Spring. If you would like to honor her legacy, please make a donation in Cathy’s name to the National Parks Conservation Association www.npca.org, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls mercyhome.org, the University of Illinois-UIUC College of Education Fund for Excellence give.illinois.edu, or St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School stbonaventuremission.org.
Cathy was born and grew up in Chicago, IL. She was the beloved daughter of Bernardine (nee Mazon) and William J Scheid (deceased); loving sister of Elizabeth (Bruce Hajek), Theresa (John) Balamuta, William M (Colleen), and Robert. She was the cherished aunt of John (Roshani) and James Balamuta; Brittany Hajek Scheid and Brianna Scheid Hajek; Daniel, Joshua, and Ian Scheid. She was a dear cousin to James Cummings, and Suzanne Scheid.
From the age of 5, Cathy knew that her life’s work would involve teaching. Following her passion, she earned her BS in Elementary Education(K-9) from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and then two Master of Arts in guidance and counselling, and education administration from Roosevelt University. She spent her career in the Barrington Public Schools system, starting out teaching 6th grade at Sunny Hill Elementary School (1982-1992), and then as a math and science teacher at Barrington Middle School-Prairie Campus (1992-2012). After “graduating” from her 30-year teaching career, she continued to devote her time to youth enrichment by leading school group tours for WorldStrides Educational Student Travel and music group tours for Perform International.
And now, as Cathy would say, let’s get to the good stuff! As the oldest of five energetic kids in a modestly sized house on the southwest side of Chicago, Cathy was alternately the pioneer, the ringleader, the trendsetter, the nurturer, and the “responsible one, because you’re the oldest”. Mt. Greenwood Elementary School years entailed classrooms bursting with Baby Boomers and after-school piano lessons, Girl Scouts, gymnastics, and ballet. The latter were rushed through to get back to the neighborhood block for the important activities like playing tag, red rover, statue maker, and hide-and-go-seek. Cathy was recognized early on for her leadership and people skills when she was the girl chosen to receive the American Legion Award for her 8th grade graduating class.
Cathy’s lifelong love of travel was seeded by family vacations spent driving, driving, driving to see the USA with Dad and Mom and the five kids crammed into a station wagon. She visited all 48 continental states by the time she started college. Finding ways to pass time on ten-hour driving days with 5 rambunctious kids was a big factor in forging the closeness we have as a family (and building our vast repertoire of car songs and games).
High School at Mother McAuley brought rigorous academics, wonderful new friendships, and a chance for Cathy to let her love for singing shine in the Glee Club and school musicals. She also started developing her unique fashion sense and saw no problem with pairing Micky Mouse socks with her school uniform. To help save for college, Cathy was proud to be one of the first three females allowed to work at the neighborhood McDonalds in what was traditionally an all-male domain—quite the social hub, and the source of lifelong friendships.
Cathy had a wonderful time experiencing college life in the 3.5 years she spent getting her bachelor’s degree and student teaching in an Urbana school. She reveled in pulling all-nighters talking, making 2am bagel runs to the 24-hour campustown deli, witnessing the tail end of the streaking fad, dance marathons, cheering on the Illini sports teams, and befriending so many people in her dorms, classrooms, and her part-time jobs. After she graduated, she often returned to her alma mater to visit her siblings as each attended in turn, and for years she frequented her favorite coffee shops like the Daily Grind where she graded papers and made another set of lifelong friends.
With her newly minted teaching certificate, Cathy moved back to the Chicago area and worked her first year substituting in the south suburbs before taking a permanent job at Sunny Hill Elementary and then Barrington Middle School-Prairie Campus. Over the next 30 years, Cathy’s passion for teaching, love for her students, and delight in her colleagues shone through. Though she did step in as an interim administrator, she declined a permanent move up, saying her heart was in the classroom where she could fully engage with the students who brought her much joy. In turn, her sense of humor, compassion, energy, mischief-making, love of Starbucks, and that quirky fashion sense (including her signature headband and cow pants) endeared her to her students, parents, teaching team, and colleagues. She touched countless lives, keeping in contact with many for decades after they moved on from her school.
Cathy took on many extra-curricular activities coaching, fund-raising, liaising with the St. Joseph’s Indian School, and most importantly, leading student tour groups. Her wonderful educational trips included national parks, Hawaiian volcanos, a Lakota Indian reservation, NASA rocket launches in Florida, hikes in the Grand Canyon, the sights in New York City and Washington D.C., and even a cultural trip to Italy. The education tour companies who helped arrange these trips were so impressed by how well she handled her groups that they were happy when she agreed to work for them part-time upon retirement. She cherished the friendships she built with the many tour guides and hotel personnel as they shared their tips on how to get the best deals. And nothing made Cathy happier than ferreting out good deals.
Cathy took every opportunity to travel and experience the world, often finding a spiritual connection to the people and places she discovered in her journeys. She travelled with friends to far-flung corners of the world outside the USA and hiked and visited countless national and state parks within. She accompanied her parents on cruises and road trips, joined different siblings on their skiing trips, international conference trips, camping trips, and took up “sherpa duties” while family members competed in Ironman triathlons. She was thrilled to make her vision of a large family trip to Alaska come true and finally check off her 50th state visited. Cathy was the best travelling companion, always curious, full of energy, taking great delight in talking with anyone and everyone, and enjoying the challenge of things going wrong so that she could have the adventure of figuring her way out of the current jam. And finding great coffee shops!
She so loved and doted on her nieces and nephews and their partners, perfectly embodying the role of “fun aunt”. She was always sending silly gifts and cards with surprise confetti explosions (and daily quirky finds via social media). She loved sharing her love of travel (and coffee!) with them, indoctrinating them with all things New Orleans during Mardi Gras, having them experience the majesty of a sunset over the pier in her beloved Dunedin, Florida, spotting wildlife, watching for special full moons and meteor showers, and bringing them to her favorite big city spots, especially her latest bakery or coffee shop find.
And finally, Cathy was the compassionate heart of the family. She helped our father throughout his end-of-life journey, played a huge role in supporting our mother and accompanying her to numerous Shakespeare plays and trendy restaurant outings, was the proud cheerleader for her brothers’ and sisters’ and their spouses’ accomplishments and milestones, and was a vital co-conspirator for the pranks, jokes, and need for that bit of adventure that keeps us together as a family. We love you and will miss your joyful presence every day we’re in this world without you.
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