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FUNERAL HOME

Lauterburg - Oehler Funeral Home

2000 East Northwest Highway

Arlington Heights, Illinois

Adele Melik Obituary

Adele Melik A visitation for family and friends of Adele Melik (nee Kovac), will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday May 7, at Lauterburg & Oehler Funeral Home, 2000 E. Northwest Highway, Arlington Heights, where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday. Adele, the beloved mother of Sibel and Erol, and beloved dear friend of many, passed away Monday, May 4, 2009, in Arlington Heights. Born April 24, 1926, she grew up in the Danube German community in Europe. She met her husband, Abdullah in Austria, where she studied at the Grazer Lehrerbildungsanstalt, and they married in 1946. Adele and Abdullah moved to Turkey in 1949, and lived 10 happy years in Ankara before emigrating to the United States in 1959 with their daughter Sibel. Their son Erol was born in Chicago. Adele was an intelligent, gentle, and thoughtful person who continued to grow and learn throughout her life. She loved to travel and was a prolific correspondent who wrote scores of letters a year to her friends in many countries. She was fluent in four languages and wrote beautifully in each. Her letters revealed her sensitivity as a writer, her thoughtful reflections about life, and her gifts for friendship and languages. Adele was an avid walker, who walked faithfully with her dear group of walker friends. When she was well, she also worked out at the senior center. In recent years she enjoyed her computer and e-mail. Adele was thrifty by nature, but always generous with her time and affection. Adele retired in 1993 after 23 years of employment at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, where she was a team leader in the Medical Supplies Department. In their later years, she and Abdullah enjoyed travels to Europe, Mexico, China, Canada, and throughout the United States. She is survived by her daughter, Sibel of Santa Fe, N.M.; son, Erol (Juliann) of Bettendorf, Iowa; the grandchildren she adored, Lauren, Zac and Jake; and sisters, Penca and Lela and their families. Adele was a parishioner at Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church for many years. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Adele's name to a charity of your choice. For information, 847-253-5423.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Daily Herald on May 6, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Adele Melik

14 Entries

Ariane Mahmud-Ghazi

May 18, 2009

Dear Sibel,

My heart is with you at this moment. Seeing your mom's sweet face and twinkling eye in photo reminded me of fond times we spent in her company when she visited Santa Fe. I remember her warmth, sense of curiosity and enjoyment of life. I send you and your brother Erol & family my condolences and love. Blessings, Ariane.

Ted and Lynne Rice

May 15, 2009

Dear Sibel

We were so sorry to hear about your mother. Our sincere condolences to you and your family. We wish we could have met her but know her spirit lives on in you.

Mary Mokus

May 11, 2009

Dear Sibel, Erol & family - May God bless all of you in this time of sorrow. Your Mom was a wonderful lady & a great friend to my mother for many years. We will miss her interesting letters. Love, Attila & Mary & family

Dixie Kurtz

May 9, 2009

Erol, Juli, Zac, Jake, and Lauren,
It is a most difficult thing to say goodbye to a mom. I thought your mom was a remarkable woman. If I am half as lucky as she was I will be doing good. She just kept going and her age never slowed her down. I have all of you in my heart.

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Marv & Donna Fowler

May 8, 2009

Erol, Juli, and family, Our sincere sympathy for the loss of your mother/grandmother/mother in law. I only saw her at your wedding, but she seemed to fill the room with joy. May she rest in peace and be in your hearts forever. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. With love,,

Sheila Dixon

May 8, 2009

Dear Erol, Juli, Sibel, Lauren, Zac and Jake,
We know this is a very sad time for all of you. Grandma Melik was a strong, devoted, hard working, wife, mother, grandmother and friend to many. She set a fine example for all of us to follow and will be greatly missed. I hope one day you can look back and remember her legacy with a smile instead of a tear.
You were good to her too...no regrets. Please know that we are here for you.
Sincerely, Todd, Sheila, Brett, Andrew and Meghan

Rob & Susan Goldstein

May 8, 2009

Erol,

We are so sorry for your loss.

Sissy Cook

May 7, 2009

Dear Erol, Juli, Sibel,Lauren, Zac, and Jake, Our thoughts and Prayers are with you all at this time, I will miss Adele's smile each Christmas. When i heard of her passing the first thing in my mind was that her and mom are hugging and happy to see each other. I wish i could be with all of you, Because i can't please feel my hugs to all of you. Lauren, Zac and Jake, How hard it is for you all to lose two Grandmas in 7 months. Please find the poems i wrote and gave to you at Christmas, We love you all very much, See you when you get home. Aunt Sissy, Uncle Jim, and Alexis

Kathleen Brannigan

May 7, 2009

Dear Erol and family -
How very special your Mom was and I know how much she will be missed. I always love this - 'Well done good and faithful servant', and that she was. She is re-joined with your Dad now and I hope that that gives you peace. I am so sorry for your loss and will keep her and you all in my prayers.

Warmly-
Kathleen Brannigan

Tammy Mendoza

May 7, 2009

Erol, Juli, Sibel, Lauren, Zac, Jake...Adele will always hold a place in my and Tony's hearts forever. She also was one of our family and we so looked forward to her being with us during Christmas each year. We loved her so. I never tired of listening to her speak and I am so very happy I was able to have a wonderful luncheon date with her recently. Now, she can "visit" and share memories with our mom.

Karen Slora

May 6, 2009

Adele will always be remembered by me as a kind and gentle person. As the parent of a dear friend of mine, Adele offered her wisdom over the years to me. Muzza also sends her condolences. So sorry to hear of your loss.

Senel Dikici

May 6, 2009

We are so sorry for your great loss.
Sincerely,
Senel and Fuat Dikici, Tijen and Jerry Papiernik, Sila and Derya Cansever

Arlene Simms

May 6, 2009

Good bye, dear friend, rest in peace...and I'll see you later!
With love, Arlene

To Erol and Sibel,

You were the best of children. You were always 'there' for Adele and she loved you beyond measure! I think you all communicated almost daily, and in spite of the geographical distance between you, she rarely felt 'apart' from you.

Although you will miss her dreadfully, you can 'rest easy', and know that you have done everything that could be done for your Mom.

In spite of the sad circumstances, I very much enjoyed meeting you both, although I already felt I 'knew' you.
Sincerely, Arlene Simms

To Juli,

You were a very good daughter-in-law, dear.

It always amazed me how many miles you traveled alone at times, to come and take Adele places or do things with her in her later years. She appreciated you very much.

To Lauren, Zac and Jake,

You were her treasures! Every time she received new photos of you, she was quick to show them to her friends.

Always remember your grandmother, my dears. As you grow older, you will see that she was a wonderful example of 'how to be a 'real' person'.