Irene Charcut

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. - Irene (nee Witek) Charcut, lifelong resident of North Chicago, entered eternal life on May 9, 2015, surrounded by her loving family. Her deep faith in God defined who she was and what she ac-complished on earth.

Irene was born August 24, 1919 in Chicago to the late Michael and Angela (Michna) Witek. She attended Holy Rosary School (class of 1933) and Waukegan High School.

Irene was employed at Sager Lock and Johnson Motors prior to enlisting in the Women's Army Air Corps in 1943. As a non-commissioned officer, she volunteered for overseas duty in 1945, and served in England and France. Her nights in London were spent in underground shelters listening to air raid alarms and buzz bombs. The once shy young woman was transformed by her military experiences. After completing three years of hon-orable service to her country, Tech Sergeant Witek was discharged in 1946. She returned to Johnson Motors and attended Lake County Business College.

In early 1948, Irene began dating a former Holy Rosary School classmate, Edward Charcut. The whirlwind courtship culminated with their marriage on August 15, 1948. They were blessed with four children (Paul, Ma-ria, Peter, and Philip), and had enough love and energy to raise three foster children (John, Mary Ann, and Pat-ty). Irene and Ed embraced parenting as a vocation and their most important life's work. In addition to the challenges of raising seven children, Irene immersed herself in civic and charitable volunteer work.

A partial list of her community service includes: Past President and longtime member of Catholic Women's Club; School Board at Holy Family Parish; Parish Council, Spiritual Life Commission, and choir at Queen of Peace Church; volunteer with American Cancer Society and Chair of Annual Fund Drives; volunteer wheeler at Veteran's Hospital Chapel (more than 3,300 hours); minister of communion to the sick and homebound; Great-er North Chicago Senior Citizen Club; Post 1122 American Legion; and Polish Legion of American Veterans, USA.

Never one to dwell on the aches and pains that come with a long life, Irene found comfort in living her faith through action. For decades on a pro bono basis, she assisted thousands of Polish immigrants who lovingly called her "ciocia" (auntie). Many of them were seeking opportunities and Irene helped them acclimate to America. She also served as an interpreter at a local bank for 17 years. Her Polish language skills, compassion, and endless energy were critical lifelines for those in need.
Irene became the first female Lake County WWII veteran to participate in an Honor Flight to Washington, DC (October 2014). During the flight's mail call, she received 140 letters thanking her for her service.

In November 2014, the North Chicago City Council honored Irene with their Senior Citizen Hall of Fame award, in recognition of more than 70 years of exemplary contributions and volunteer service to the local community.

Irene was preceded in death by her loving husband of 37 years, Edward Charcut, in 1985; her brother, Joseph Witek; and her sister and brother-in-law, Lottie and Matthew Siwula.

She is survived by her children: Paul (Mary Jo); Maria (Doug) Rector; Peter; and Philip (Pam); eight grand-children: Nicholas (Kinlin), Jolene, and Chaz (Brittany) Charcut; Catherine, Mary and James Rector; Andrew and Cory Charcut; and great-grandchildren: Brady, Beason, Layla, and Cain. Irene is also survived by her foster children: John Burby, Mary Ann (Burby) Davis, and Patty (Burhman) Thompson.

A special blessing in Irene's life was Lottie Sieka, without whom Irene would have found it difficult to main-tain the family home and her active lifestyle. Lottie's boundless devotion to Irene will never be forgotten

When asked what she considered most important in her life, the first words Irene spoke were "God and fami-ly". Few people practice their faith through action and example more passionately that Irene Charcut – but she always considered her spiritual development a work in progress. Irene's vision of family was very inclusive – she nurtured countless people with prayer, love notes, singing phone messages, and $2 bills stuffed in greeting cards. Each of us was her "favorite." Her legacy extends beyond family to the thousands of people touched by her generous spirit. She was a phenomenal woman who is sorely missed. Irene's family would like to extend their deepest appreciation to Lottie Sieka, the medical staff at the Captian James A. Lovell Federal Healthcare Center and Froedtert Hospital for their care and support for Irene and family during her last days of her life with us.

Visitation will be held 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, 2015, at Gurnee Salata Funeral Home, located at 4190 Old Grand Avenue, Gurnee, IL. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, May 14, 2015 at Queen of Peace Church, 910 14th St., North Chicago, Ill. Visitation will be at 9 a.m. and Mass will begin at 10 a.m. Burial at Ascension Cemetery, 1920 Buckley Road, Libertyville, IL will follow immediately after the mass.

In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to the Catholic Charities of Lake County (www.catholiccharities.net); The Salvation Army (www.salarmychicago.org); and the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, Community Affairs (135), 3001 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL 60064.