Elaine Lois O'Dea

1931 - 2022

Elaine Lois O'Dea

Dec. 19, 1931 - Aug. 15, 2022

CEDAR LAKE, IN - Elaine Lois O'Dea, 90, of Cedar Lake, Indiana, passed away on August 15, 2022. She is survived by her seven children (Catherine Tauber, Deborah Longfellow, Thomas O'Dea, Gail Guerrero, Michael O'Dea, Barbara O'Dea and Linda O'Dea) and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. She joins the love of her life, Joseph O'Dea, who passed away over seven years ago.

Elaine was a private person who preferred the company of family and close friends over crowds. Yet, she made friends wherever she went. The grocery store greeters and clerks looked for her, hugging her when she'd show up at the store. The waitresses at the restaurants she frequented would stop by to talk to her, because she made everyone's day brighter and the world a better place by the simple act of listening to others and truly caring about them.

She was always there for her children, her family, and her friends. Having lost her mother at a very young age, she knew that being there for her children was the most important thing in the world. She was there to cheer us on in the good times, to give advice when one of us lost our way, and to comfort us when bad times came.

She was the one we turned to when we needed someone to share our joys and our sorrows. She was the constant in our lives that made us strong, made us kind, made us better than we thought we could be. She was the safety net that allowed her children to grow and to take risks because we knew she was there. To catch us. To help us. To love us unconditionally.

She may have preferred to stay in the shadows but the warmth of her love and light drew souls to her and she eased our burdens with her kindness and care. We'll miss her voice. Her words. Her love for the rest of our lives.