Bernice A. Scallon

In loving memory of Bernice Scallon. Beloved Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Mother, Omama, Lola and Friend to many. Bernice Ann (nee Brunislawa Lyszczarz) Scallon returned to God at 11:55 pm on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at the age of 94 due to complications following her resuscitation from a heart attack. She was surrounded by her family, who held her hands, spoke to her, and comforted her through her final journey. She is survived by her youngest children, Hugh John Scallon and Janice Marie (nee Scallon) Lomelino, her beloved son-in-law Daniel Lomelino and daughter-in-law Analyn (nee Padual) Scallon, as well as her 5 grandchildren, Jackson Lawrence Lomelino (15), Alexander Hugh Lomelino (12), Denzel Andreas Padual Scallon (9), Charles Marion Scallon (3) and John Lawrence "Orange" Scallon (7 mos). She rejoined her child angels, Laura Smith (5) and Lawrence "Larry" Smith(7), as well as her mother Sophie (nee Zophia Swistak) Lyszczarz, father John Lyszczarz, brother John Lyszczarz, sister Joanne (nee Lyszczarz) Turosky husband, Francis Marion Hugh "Mack" Scallon, and countless family, friends and beloved pets.
She was a lifelong resident of the Chicago neighborhood of Hegewisch. She lived independently in her family home on Baltimore Ave (as she always wanted) until entering the hospital late last week. She also lived in Worth, NY and Pullman, Michigan. She was active in the Hegewisch community, Daughters of Isabella, Knights of Columbus, St Columba Church, the Polish National Alliance, and as a national representative for AARP. She was involved in endless activities including, bunco clubs, travel groups, art and entertainment groups, park district, religious, civic, and community groups. While raising her children, she was an active member of the PTA of Henry Clay School and St Columba schools, the park district, Bulldogs Youth Football and Cheerleading, Little League, and softball leagues. She was also a den leader for Boyscouts and Brownies,and 4-H. She never missed a game, performance, contest, or recital. She was an incredible crafter, from ceramics to quilts to crochet to ornaments and keepsakes. She was a great seamstress, chef, painter, and handyman. She even raised dairy cows, goats, chickens and horses. There was no limit to the breadth of talent she had.
She provided nearly a century of loving and a life dedicated to helping and caring for others. She loved animals and had countless dogs and various pets over the years. There was never a stray dog she wouldn't take in. She was a completely selfless person who made sure everyone felt welcomed, included, and loved. Quick with a hug, kiss, and "I love you", she was always the first to help out and stayed until cleanup was done. She was a social butterfly who brought joy and fun to every event and interaction. No matter how brief the contact, she always made the people she touched feel special and loved. Her life was filled with more struggles than most, but nothing could knock her down for long.
As a Depression Era child, and child of immigrants, Bernice worked hard to help out the family. She sacrificed her teens and early adulthood to help raise her sister's child, Joanne "Joanie" Turosky Milito. She began her own family later in life than most of her generation. A pioneer in her time, she focused on her career and caring for her extended family. She worked downtown at Standard Oil as an executive secretary for patent attorneys, and caring for her parents' apartment buildings. When she finally married (Eugene Smith), they were blessed with Laura Smith and Lawrence "Larry" Smith. Unfortunately, they were both born with Cystic Fibrosis and were returned to the arms of God at the ages of 5 and 7. Bernice remarried Francis Marion Hugh "Mack" Scallon and was blessed with two healthy children, Hugh and Janice. Unfortunately, Mack suffered a massive heart attack while their children were only in Kindergarten and 1st. He was able to survive and recover due to her careful nursing, but had several subsequent heart attacks that took his life before their children could graduate high school.
After she successfully raised her kids, she then had to help her brother, John, through the early stages of Alzheimers and then the serious car accident that left him in a nursing home for the remainder of his life. It wasn't until her later years that she was really able to enjoy life for herself. Mom had a lifelong passion for travel and the joy of road trips. Our memories are filled with endless summer vacations hitting tourist attractions across almost every state and Canada. Later, she would travel by tour groups, cruises, and planes including trips to Hawaii, the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, and Jerusalem to her latest trip a few months ago to visit her grandkids in the Philippines. Like her parents before, she taught us that each generation needs to do better than the last so that their children have a better life. She also taught us how to raise the wonderful grandchildren she so very much loved. She was proud of each and every one of her 5 grandsons.
Like their mom, both children focused on careers and had children later in life. For this reason, she was ecstatic to finally become a grandmother for the first time at 79, Janice and Dan gave birth to Jack, who anointed her "Omama". She was further thrilled to get a second grandson, Alex 2 1/2 years later. Her son later shocked her by doubling the number of her grandchildren with a pandemic baby, Charles Marion, in the Philippines who was born on the same date as her daughter's first child, as well as the wonderful addition of Denzel Andreas with her lovely daughter-in-law Analyn. And, at the ripe old age of 93 she was blessed to hold her final grandchild, John Lawrence "Orange".
Her greatest passions, besides her family, were animals (especially dogs) travel and adventure. She also loved meeting new people, creating crazy activities for her clubs, polka dancing, road trips, slot machines, plays, musicals, live concerts, books, trying new foods, Lawrence Welk and British sitcoms. Our mom taught us to be loving, compassionate, resilient and grateful. She was a bundle of love and fun for her 5 grandkids whom she adored and was so very proud of. She was incredibly vibrant and energetic all her life. At 50, she carried her 8 and 9 year old children down a mountain at the end of a grueling hike. At 79, she showed her first grandchild how to roll down a hill. At 90, she was flying halfway across the world to play with her grandkids. At 94, she was still playing with her grandchildren and loving them more "to the moon and back". She traveled far and wide to be with all of them, from Chicago, Elmhurst, Pullman, Savannah, Foley Beach, Branson, Nashville, Oviedo/Orlando, and even the Philippines. She happily greeted her youngest three, son and daughter-in-law when they returned to live permanently in America less than a week before she passed.
As characteristic of Mom, she waited until her entire family was in the perfect situation before she finally allowed herself to rest. During the entire 12 plus hours she fought in the ICU, she was surrounded by family holding her hands and talking to her, even including her niece, friends, neighbors, and all her grandchildren. She squeezed our hands and moved her lips in reply. Even in that state, she cared more about trying to comfort us than her own life. She was the hardest working, most giving, compassionate, loving, inclusive, welcoming, and charitable human being. There will never be another like her. She is a role model and pillar of strength for all of us. Even death cannot erase the impact she had on us, her friends, her community and everyone she touched. She was a ray of light. Her death was like a solar eclipse. When she passed, it was like darkness fell. But the brightness of who she is won't be darkened by grief for long. She will come to us and remind us that the sun needs to shine again. She would want her rays to nourish their souls as she watches over her children and grandchildren flourishing again.
Mom, Omama, Grandma, Lola, Auntie, Friend, and Neighbor, your love, caring, words, and wisdom will live on in us. Although we will never see your smile or feel your hugs and kisses, we will be with you again in our memories, our dreams and in the energy of you that will surround us in all our special moments. You are now the energy in the universe, our beautiful angel, that can come to us freely, painlessly, and peacefully whenever we think of you and whenever you want to join us in this world and beyond.
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