I have been remiss in not posting this sooner and I apologize for that. Our cousin Wendy Smail e-mailed me copies of the eulogies her brothers Dan and David delivered at the funeral for their mother Betty Schield in January at St. Mary's church in Neillsville. For those of you who couldn't make it there, please enjoy these fond remembrances of Aunt Betty. And Wendy tells me her sister-in-law Becky Schield (David's wife) posted several photos from the funeral on her Facebook. I'll see if I can share a few of them with you here. And for those not currently living in Wisconsin, start checking those travel Web sites for air fares to the Badger State for the cousins reunion at the Never-Never Land cottage on July 21.
Love,
Robert Mullins

Dan Schield's Eulogy

On behalf of our Father and my brothers and sisters and our extended families I want to thank you for coming. Mom would be touched by your gestures and kindness in remembrance of her life.

I had the good fortune of being able to visit Mon and Dad just two weeks prior to her passing. One of Mom’s favorite things was to take us around and introduce us to all the people she knew and I can’t begin to tell you how many times people would tell me how much they enjoyed our Mom. After she died many people approached me with the same sentiment, “She was a great person.” Mom loved stories and I want to tell you one that I hope will give you some insight as to who our Mother was.

A number of years back I read a boo, written by a professor from Iowa, about personalities and relationship dynamics. He gathered his research by observing the behavior of cows, of all things. Now before anybody gets any ideas, we had a lot of affectionate names for Mom but I assure you referring to her as “An Old Cow” was not one of them! 

Now this professor, whose name escapes me at present, determined that there were four basic personalities in these cows. One he referred to as the “dominant” cow. This cow was always trying to control and direct all the others, “my way or the highway” sort of thinking. We all know these types and we love them anyway, mostly because we realize they can’t help it!   He referred to the second type of cow as the “analytic” cow. This was the thinker in the herd. His main goal was to find the best solution for all parties involved, and of course he was “nearly perfect” all the time-----Right!!?  Next he observed the “expressive” cow. This cow was a promoter, loved to be the center of attention, everyone loves to be around them because life is a party. We probably will be hearing from one shortly!

Last but not least, the fourth cow he referred to as the “amiable” cow. Everyone loves this one. Feelings and supporting others was important to her and she would always be there for you. When interacting with others, she would always make them feel more important and try to divert any attention away from her. Family was very important to her but when she spoke of them she was never boastful and always very humble.

I think we know whom we are talking about here. That was our Mom.

In going thru her desk, we found Christmas cards that Mom had made out and addressed, perhaps some of you have received one. I also found a poem that Mom had saved in a couple of places in her things. I think Mom would have liked to have this read today so I am going to attempt to do that for her. The title of the poem is “When I Die” and is written by an unknown author.

                                       

                         

                         

                          When I die,

                           give what is left of me to others.

                          If you need to cry,

                           cry for your brothers and sisters walking beside you.

                          Put your arms around anyone and give them

                           what you need to give me.

      

                          I want to leave you something,

                           something better than words or sounds

                          Look for me in the people

                           I have known and loved.

                          And if you cannot live without me,

                           then let me live on in your eyes, your mind and your acts of kindness.

               

                          You can love me most,

                            by letting hands touch hands and letting go of the people

                            who need to be free.

                           Love does not die, people do.

                            So when all that is left of me is love….

                               Give me away.     

 

That was our Mother, she will be missed but always in our hearts.

We love you, Mom.

David Schield's Eulogy

Hello, and thank you all for coming to help us celebrate the life of our dear Mother.  She would be pleased and surprised by all of you, her friends and family that have come to honor and pay tribute to her on this very special day of remembrance.

I’m Danny……er….Joey……Jimmy…….I mean DAVID.  No, I don’t have a speech impediment, that was a common process on how I was addressed by my Mom.  As the last of her four sons, one of the important things she taught me was……patience.

Mom was born on Feb. 1, 1920, to Bridget and Charles McCorry, both Irish immigrants who found their way via Pittsburgh to the Milwaukee area where they met and married.  An interesting note about Grandma McCorry, and I hope I have this right, is that one of the reasons she was put on a boat to America was to avoid the “arranged” or “promised” marriage to a fellow in Ireland who she did not particularly care for.  I state this only because of how our Mom respected our decisions as her children with our spouses.  She did her best not to judge any of us and tried NOT to interfere with our relationships, whether we made good decisions or bad decisions.  I think she realized we all have our path we must take, but the “journey” is the most important part.

Mom’s journey was unique, as all of ours are, and they are part and parcel to what she became, and the traits she shared with us.  As the second oldest of six children, Mom had to take an active role in the household from an early age.  Her father, Charles, worked the second shift for the Falk Corporation and when he returned from a work day, it was Mom who volunteered to stay up with him so he could share his day with someone.  She did this so that her mother and the other children could stay asleep, sacrificing her own, a practice of sacrificing that continued her entire life.

After graduating from Mercy High School in Milwaukee, and two of her sisters off into the convent, and a brother off at war, she took business classes at Marquette and then started working at Gold and McCann Law firm.  Shortly thereafter she took a job at Marquette University where she noticed a young dental student, and after a short 11 month courtship, married her husband, our Father, Carroll Nicholas Schield to whom she was wed for an amazing 69 years last November.  Mom never shared too much about her courtship with Dad, but the one thing she did share was that it happened on the third date, ……yes, it took Dad three dates to get his first kiss from Mom.

Mom and Dad married in Louisiana on Oct 17, 1942, and as a good Catholic family had seven children, Patty, Danny, Wendy, Joey, Mary, Jimmy, and David.  I’m not sure if there was any “official” contest, but the three McCorry girls sure did their part to uphold the term “Good Catholic Family.”  There were seven Schields, Nine Mullines, and TEN Jonases.  Now, my Mom was a competitor, another trait we all got from her, but I could just hear her, “Well, there’s no way I’m gonna beat those two…..to heck with it!”  Her brother Dan kicked in another four, so there still is plenty of the McCorry Clan moving forward!

Family was always important to Mom; she did her best to make life as happy and full of love for us as she could.  Growing up Schield was not unlike all other families.  Shared responsibilities…clearing the table, picking up our room, doing the dishes, making your beds, mouths washed out with soap for swearing…oh ya….  All of YOU (pointing to the other kids)!  Not me.  Now I’m not saying I didn’t swear, what I am saying is that by the time Mom got to me and tried to wash my mouth out for a little added “naughty word,” I was able to stop her and make her “drop the soap.”  It wasn’t disrespect; it was just that I didn’t like soap!  I did however learn my lesson and the swearing stopped…well, not completely, but pretty much!

Mom didn’t come from a lot, she really didn’t need nor desire a lot, even though we had plenty because of our father’s occupation.  Yes we had nice things and extra toys, but the essence of Mom was not about that.  She never wanted to be a burden on anyone and was exceptionally grateful for other’s help when she needed it.  In her final years at the Regency in Florida, she continued to try and live her rule of thumb for life that was to help anyone who is less fortunate than her.

Mom had a great life, the love of family, the close friendship of a few, and a legacy of caring and giving that we all will carry with us for the rest of our lives.  She passed the way she would have liked, without being too much of a burden on anyone. Her last days were like any others with a good meal and a normal day.  She passed quickly in the hospital without much suffering.

Mom was a terrific cook and spent a great deal of her life in the kitchen.  We’d be wakened in the morning with “put your footy’s on the hardwood…time for breakfast.”  She’d have to feed Dad of course, including having lunch on the table at Noon, then clear it all up and be ready with dinner by 6:00 sharp!  In between she’d make sure there were batches of her famous chocolate chip cookies.  Holiday time meant 3-layer cookies and a whole assortment of special cookies, that we weren’t allowed to eat until Christmas, and many for just for “others” and not for us.  I remember Mom making a big pot of chili and schlepping it to the cottage where we would all leave her and go snowmobiling in the winter, come back, eat it up, then leave again, leaving the clean up and mess for her.

Mom had her struggles and managed a lot of extra challenges that the Lord placed on her including diabetes and of course her heart.  She faced those challenges as you would have expected her to.  She managed her medication and amazingly at the age of 79 had quintuple heart bypass surgery.  I remember watching her in recovery the day of that surgery and wondered if it was the last time I was going to see or speak to Mom.  Well, St Peter was not ready for her, and it turns out, wasn’t ready for her for quite some time from that day.  She was, and I affectionately use this term….”A TOUGH IRISH BROAD.”

Her job, her wish, her success, her life was raising a family who loved and cared for each other, and to that end she had extreme success.

To her friends she was gracious and grateful, undemanding and unpretentious.  All traits I know she hoped her children could aspire to.

Her generosity wasn’t always monetary.  She volunteered her time at rummage sales and the like, and importantly 16 years as a CCD teacher right here at St Mary’s.

She kept us all connected by her weekly letters, typed on onionskin before there were copiers.  These included weekly news of the family, tidbits and updates, and even food descriptions, whatever, but just enough to fill a couple of typewritten pages to drop in the mail.  She hit the computer age in her 70’s and continued the emails until her late 80’s when it just got too confusing, or not enough news to write about.  The point was the attempt to keep the family connected.

She didn’t necessarily want to “participate” as much as she wanted to “make it happen” for family gatherings.  And, she loved the “stinker”……right Joey?  Jeffrey?

She’d study the crowd and make sure all were involved and if not, she would console to see if she could “fix” it.

She just wanted us to have a good time, especially at the cottage aptly named Never Never Land.  We weren’t supposed to worry or work, but relax and enjoy.

I know Mom is up in heaven right now, likely politicking with St. Peter about getting good seats for the rest of us, when we all know that she’s gonna have MUCH closer seats than any of us.  I know she’s up there, somewhere close to the front row!  I’m sure she’s busy catching up with old friends, and of course her family.  She’s probably got a great game of Bridge going with Uncle Bud right now, playing on a big table loaded full of sweets, candy, cookies and cake….all the things she couldn’t have down here because of her diabetes.  I’m sure if she could tell us, she’d say what she normally did when we were together at the Cottage, or growing up, or at any family gathering… “I’m Fine…. You kids go along now, I’ll be fine…”

Well Mom.  We will go along without you.  But we will not forget you and you will always be with us….right here…in our hearts, forever.  I love you Mom.

Happy Birthday to Uncle Bud

To All,
Today, Feb. 19, would have been Uncle Bud Jonas' 89th birthday. At a memorial mass for him in Milwaukee on Jan. 3, his oldest and youngest sons took a novel approach to delivering his eulogy. Jim and Paul Jonas read Bible quotes and then told stories about how their father lived up to the message in those readings. Their sister Jane (Jonas) Williams send me the script of the eulogy for me to share with all of you.
Continued best wishes for Bud's family and the family of Aunt Betty.
Love,
Robert Mullins

Dad’s Blue Eyes
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
That verse reflects our father’s philosophy of life and faith. He knew his life was
unfolding according to God’s plan. He was on the path; a path he never secondguessed.
He believed that it was one’s responsibility to identify and develop the gifts
that God gave to you as an individual. When you were able to take care of yourself;
you were tasked to reach out and share your blessings; to open your circle and accept
responsibility for the people and events that become your life. Dad never told us this,
he showed us this.
In 1948 Dad married our mother, Teresa McCorry and their partnership was the
foundation of our lives. They baptized each of us in this church, and sent us to Catholic
school(s). Education was valued. They did not ask us to think like them; they just
asked us to think.
Together, they shared responsibility for us: ALL of us, training us and accepting us,
feeding us, ‘loving’ us. As the decades passed, (they raised teenagers in the 60’s, 70’s
and 80’s), their commitment helped us find our own gifts, our own strengths, that are
the tools of our life journey.
In Romans 12 we read:
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is
prophesy, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve;
if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is
contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let
him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Our father was a gentle man and a gentleman. He did so many things and made
it look easy, probably because he derived pleasure from all he did. He fulfilled his
obligations day in and day out, for years on end. He did so without particular recognition
and without complaint. His reward was being useful. He worked hard and took great
personal pride in his accomplishments. He took seriously his role as provider and
teacher. His family had all that they needed and he taught his children, through his
actions, to be self-sufficient, honest, loving, and thoughtful people. He was proud of
his family: his wife and children, his parents, his brother and sisters and the many
cousins. He relished their accomplishments, witnessed many, and was always there
with congratulations.
Over these many years, we have been inspired by all that he was: a man, a parent, a
provider, a protector, a competitor, a caregiver, a teacher, a friend, and to our mother, a
life partner. We should be so lucky.
1
I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while
they live. Ecclesiastes 3:12
Our dad was born in 1923 and grew up during The Depression. He told a story of
roasting potatoes in a bonfire below the bluff on the lakefront. To him that was a simple
pleasure; an opportunity to make something fun from nothing; a night with friends who
had nothing but a potato to share; making the best of what you had; turning nothing into
something.
This story illustrates the light that was the essence of our father. Everyone who is here
today experienced that light. It was a light that, aside from guiding as husband and
father, illuminated far beyond to affect family and friends and neighbors and colleagues.
He knew that life was God’s gift and he appreciated it’s simple pleasures. He was
truly happy and content. There was a warmth about him; a quiet self-assurance and
a faith in the joy of life. He was always looking forward, always ready to greet the new
day whether that entailed playing a round of golf or painting the house. Dad was the
catalyst for numerous annual events and reunions which have become important family
traditions. The cousins picnic and the Thanksgiving football game are examples of
‘simple things’ that give us pleasure.
Dad was a giver; always willing to share. He was aware of you, thinking about you,
what you needed, how you felt. It was about what he could do in addition to what
was needed or expected, in order to bring something new and special to each person
he encountered, whether you were a professional client or a friend who came to play
with one of his children. It was his sincerity that set him apart. It was the thing you
remembered. It was the reason you enjoyed his company.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be
full of light. Matthew 6:22
There was a light. A light that shone from Dad’s blue eyes that was only outshone by
his smile that drove them from his face. What a great gift: a pair of eyes so pure as to
focus on simple pleasures, to instill expectation without blame or judgement, to overlook
fault to see goodness and kindness.
Though we will dearly miss that light . Let us be thankful for its presence and our good
fortune of having experienced it for the nearly 90 years. It was those eyes and that
experience that brings us, his many friends and family, here today. U.C. Jonas Jr., you
will be long remembered.
2

Send Sr. B. a Valentine’s Day Card

Sr. Benedicta is doing fine at the Provena McAuley Convent in Aurora, although like everyone, she’s grieving the loss of her sister Betty Schield and brother-in-law Bud Jonas. She wasn’t able to make either service. Sr. Acquinice called me today to ask me to post a request for all of you who can to mail Sr. B a Valentine’s Day card. She’s thinking of creating a collage of them to display in Sr. B.’s room.
If you’d like to send the cards to this address:

Sr. Mary Benedicta
Provena McAuley Convent
400 W. Sullivan Rd.
Aurora, IL 60506

Valentine’s Day is next Tuesday.
Also, I’ve been meaning to share with you that the Schields are hosting a cousins’ reunion this coming July 21, a Saturday, at the family cottage in Neillsville. They’re probably going to send out an Evite or more details on this blog closer to the date, but I invite you to save the date now. At Aunt Betty’s service last month, Joe Schield said people could stay at local motels or pitch tents right on the basketball court at the cottage, to which I replied, “Oh, you mean like Occupy Never-Never Land?” (I’ll be here all week.)
Lastly, thanks to Anna Borden (Jonas) for sending me some of the memorial cards for Uncle Bud for me to share with my family out here in California. I neglected to pick them up when I was at the service for Uncle Bud, but I did get a few from Aunt Betty’s service.
God bless.
Robert Mullins

Remembering Bud Jonas and Betty Schield

It was a sad but touching and rewarding last few days for the McCorry Family as many of us were able to gather in Milwaukee and Neillsville to say goodbye to our beloved Uncle Bud Jonas and Aunt Betty Schield. Included in this post is a slide show I assembled of photos I took at both events. Even though it was very difficult for many to absorb this double dose of sad news, the love and support of family members made it that much more bearable. And it created an opportunity for a reunion of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandchildren, some of whom haven't seen each other for years.
Uncle Bud and Aunt Betty died just hours apart. Bud died in Milwaukee Dec. 13 and Aunt Betty died just a few hours later early on the morning of Dec. 14 in Florida.
The first service was held for Uncle Bud Tuesday evening Jan. 3 at Immaculate Conception church in Bay View, where he, his wife Teresa and their 10 children worshiped for decades. We had a reception in the back of the church for about an hour to give time for everyone to arrive and meet each other. The mass concluded with a eulogy jointly delivered by Jim and Paul Jonas, Bud's oldest and youngest sons. They traded off reading a quote from the Scriptures and then an anecdote about their father that illuminated the Scripture's meaning. It was very touching. I've asked for a digital copy of the eulogy so I could share some of their comments with you.

Afterwards, many of the workshipers drove up KK Ave. to Cafe Lulu, the bar/restaurant owned by Bud's daughter Sarah. There food and drinks were served and several people spoke to the crowd and shared their favorite stories about Bud. See above photo of Uncle Carroll and Aunt Teresa at the event.
The next morning, I, representing the Mullins family, Aunt Teresa and three of her children, and the Schields drove up to Neillsville, where Betty, her husband Carroll and their seven children lived for many years. It was Carroll's hometown and where he set up his dental practice. At St. Mary's Catholic Church, another funeral mass was held and Carroll, his children and several grandchildren walked up the aisle as a group, Dan Schield holding an urn bearing his mother's ashes, which he placed on a table at the front of the church in front of a portrait of Betty. I was taken aback by the expressions of anguish on so many of their faces.
Again, as at Bud's service, the oldest and youngest sons -- Dan and David Schield -- delivered a joint eulogy. Dan used allegory as a device to explain different personality types and identified his mother as the benevolent and supportive one who was always looking out for others and, even in ill health, concerned herself with the needs of others before her own. David told humorous anecdotes about his mother including about how he tried to talk his way out of her washing his mouth out with soap when he used foul language. The poignant conclusion to the service was when grandson Brandon Schield, Jim's son, delivered an acoustic guitar rendition of "Danny Boy," to which many in the congregation sang along. The family drove a short distance to the Neillsville Country Club for a light lunch and more time to reminisce. I shared with the family the lyrics of a song by Paul McCartney, which we played at the funeral of my brother-in-law Ken Freer in 2007, "The End of the End:"

"On the day that I die I'd like jokes to be told
And stories of old to be rolled out like carpets
That children have played on
And laid on while listening to stories of old.

At the end of the end
It's the start of a journey
To a much better place
And this wasn't bad
So a much better place
would have to be special
No need to be sad."

Some of the Schields were discussing plans to have a reunion of the cousins at the Schield's cottage, "Never-Never Land," outside Neillsville. We're hoping more people will be able to come in the summer than the winter. It's tentatively scheduled for the third weekend of July, though the plans are still in the works. I'll keep you posted. I Invite you to enjoy the slide show and encourage you to share your thoughts on this week in the comments section below this post. Love and best wishes to you all.
Robert Mullins

Aunt Betty Schield's obituary

Our cousin David Schield sent me this obituary for his mother that is going to run in the Marshfield News Herald on Dec. 23. As it indicates, services for Aunt Betty will begin at 12 noon on Jan. 4 in Neillsville. Services for Uncle Bud will begin at 5:00 p.m. Jan. 3 at Immaculate Conception parish in Milwaukee. It's a lot to take in over just two days but having family around will make it work. Best wishes to all of you this Christmas.

Robert Mullins

Elizabeth Maureen “Betty” Schield - Dec 14, 2011.

Elizabeth Maureen “Betty” Schield, 91, formerly of Neillsville, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 in North Bay Hospital in Port Richey, Fla., with her husband by her side. Services will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville, with a visitation starting at noon, followed by a funeral Mass and celebration of her life at 1 p.m.

Betty was born on Feb. 1, 1920 in Milwaukee, the second oldest of six children of Charles and Bridget McCorry. While working as a secretary at Marquette University, she met her husband of 69 years, Dr. Carroll Schield. Together they raised a family of seven children in Neillsville, where Dr. Schield practiced dentistry from 1946 until 1984. They moved to Florida in the mid-1980s, returning each summer to the family cottage in Hatfield, Wis., until recently when travel became too difficult for them. They have been residents of the Regency Independent Living facility in Port Richey, Fla., for the past six years.

Betty was a long-time parishioner of St Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville, where she volunteered for many tasks, including 16 years as a high school Catholic education teacher. She treasured her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren, always looking forward to family gatherings at the cottage, traveling to her children’s homes in various states, and visits in Florida from family. She was an avid reader with a thirst for knowledge, demonstrated by her desire to improve her computer skills up until her passing.

She is survived by her husband, Carroll; children, Patricia (Jay) Werth of Santa Rosa, Calif., Dr. Dan (Roberta) Schield of Neillsville, Wendy Smail of Boulder, Colo., Joseph Schield of Petaluma, Calif., Mary Alice Schield of Sonoma, Calif., Jim (Shawn) Schield of Arlington, Va., and David (Rebecca) Schield of Middleton; 12 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She is also survived by three sisters, numerous nieces and nephews, and countless friends and acquaintances.

Her devotion, kind and generous heart, determination and love for others are traits we all can admire and remember.

A memorial fund has been established in her name with the American Diabetes Association.

Services for Uncle Bud

To All,
THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED FROM WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED.

You can read an obituary about Uncle Bud Jonas on JSOnline.com, the Web site of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It says there is a memorial service set for 5:00 p.m. CST on Tues. Jan. 3, 2012, at Immaculate Conception Church, the Jonas family's longtime parish in Bay View. There is also a brief obit about Aunt Betty Schield on the Website of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times. UPDATE: Wendy (Schield) Smail tells me they are not going have a joint service with Bud on the 3rd, although we hope some Scheilds will be in attendance. Instead, they will have a separate service for Betty Jan. 4 in Neillsville. Those plans are being firmed up so stay tuned. If you have any news to share about the services or your remembrances of Bud and Betty, please comment below this post, send me an e-mail or send me a message through Facebook. My posting of the Christmas Letter yesterday generated 71 page views. Thanks for reading. Again, my best wishes to all of you.

McCorry Family Christmas Letter 2011

To All,

It’s been a tumultuous week leading up to my writing this year’s Christmas Letter and I’d been looking over my notes of weddings, births, fun vacations and other family news. Then, as the saying goes, “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans." Events took a sharp turn on December 13 when our beloved Uncle Bud Jonas left us at the age of 88, leaving behind 9 of his 10 children, multiple grandchildren and his wife of 64 years, our Aunt Teresa. Just hours later, early on December 14, we lost our dear Aunt Betty Schield, age 91, leaving behind her seven children, many grandchildren and her husband of 69 years, Carroll. As my sister Tricia pointed out, Teresa lost her husband and one of her sisters in a short time, just as my mother, Mary, lost her husband and brother – George Mullins and Dan McCorry – just two days apart during the Christmas holidays in 1993.

Aunt Betty from Jan. 2011

As always, the Bible offers comfort at these times:

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to[it]myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”-- John 14:1-4

I offered reminiscences about Uncle Bud and Aunt Betty here and invite others to offer their comments below. The important thing to remember is how the two of them influenced the person that each of you have become and to thank them for that. My cousin Sarah Jonas wrote this on her Facebook page of Bud: “He had a dry sense of humor, he loved his wife, he worked hard and he liked to compete. He was an athlete, a teacher, a writer, an artist, a father & brother. He was generous and so very kind. He was my Dad.”

Bud Jonas and son-in-law John T

As troubling as these events have been, 2011 was also a rewarding year for the Jonases, Schields, Mullinses and McCorrys as well. Click here to view a slideshow of family photos.

It started off in January with Pat (Schield) Werth welcoming her second grandchild, Daniella Angele, on Jan. 12. Her parents, Megan and Nino Rabbaa, already have a daughter, Juliana. Nino, who already owns Rendez Vous Bistro in Santa Rosa, plans to open a second restaurant there early next year. Pat’s son Justin also works there and Justin’s Uncle Joey Schield works in the office. Mary Alice has her own place in Sonoma. Pat and her husband Jay Werth took time off from their grandparenting duties to visit Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

David and Becky’s daughter Jessica Schield and her boyfriend Josh Reeves, had a girl Aug. 23, Rian Kaela -- Rian is the Irish female spelling of Ryan -- in Maui where they live and where Jessica manages a restaurant. David Schield has bought a marketing company and is no longer working out of his home, but has to get dressed to go to work, says his sister Pat!  David’s son Jeff has just moved to Chicago where he is a personal trainer and daughter Grace is at the University of Iowa playing soccer as well as studying.

Dan and Bobbi Schield went to visit their son Michael in China last spring, especially enjoying Hong Kong.  Their daughter, Emily, after graduating from University of Wisconsin-Madison, moved to Portland, Ore., and works for Milwaukee Tool.  Miranda works for Veolia Environmental Services in Chicago.  Dan’s sister Wendy joined Jay and Pat for another visit to Paris this summer, including taking in the last leg of the Tour de France.

 

Paris also drew Jane (Jonas) and her husband John T. Williams in October; they also traveled widely throughout France, including Provence and Versailles as well as the required Paris stops of the Louvre and Eiffel Tower. Jane’s son Jonas Shaner continues his job as a nurse in San Diego and son Luke continues his architecture career in Minneapolis. Jane was impressed that Luke, at a party he threw, made French fries on the grill and baked two deep-dish pies from scratch – one apple, the other blueberry.

Marypat (Jonas) Groth says her son Jeremy wed Krystal Polakowski July 9 at Renaissance Place on Milwaukee’s east side. At the reception, the crowd danced to the music of Five Card Studs, Paul Jonas’s band.

Brian and Betsy McCorry welcomed a new grandchild this year when daughter Lizzie and her husband, Phil Koesterer, welcomed son Philip Joseph Koesterer V into the world Nov. 5th, although Grandpa Brian says he is going to go by "PJ." Meanwhile, son Patrick and his wife Erin are expecting their first child in the spring of 2012. Both couples married in 2010. Maureen (McCorry) Drabik reports that her mother, our Aunt MaryAnn, is doing well, still living at the Sunrise Senior Living Community in Willowbrook, Ill. MaryAnn doesn’t use a computer much anymore but Maureen got her an Apple iPad and, after some one-on-one training, does get some use out of it. BTW, I read the late Steve Jobs’s biography on a Kindle app on a Google Android tablet computer I own, which means I read all about the Apple genius without using any Apple products. I asked friends, “Does that make me a bad person?”

My sister Betty made quite an accomplishment this year, self-publishing her book “Don’t Let Down,” a work of fiction based on the experiences of our parents at St. Matthews parish in Milwaukee during World War II. You can order the book on Authorhouse.com and they will print a copy for you on demand. The book is available on Amazon.com as a hardcover or softcover book and as a digital version to read on a Kindle. You can also order it online at BarnesandNoble.com, including an e-reader version for the Kindle Nook. Also, this year, Betty took our nephew Casey George Mullins to New York City to, among other things, take in a performance of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” starring Daniel Radcliffe of the “Harry Potter” film franchise. Yours truly played the role of “Office Boy” in the production of “HTSIBWRT” at Wauwatosa East High School in 1971 (wince).

Erin Freer (right) on graduation day

Bill Mullins is now a contract technical writer for Disney in Los Angeles, Kathy Gesley still works at a cystic fibrosis clinic in Palo Alto while her daughter Maureen lives with brother Brendan in Berkeley; their brother Sam also lives nearby. Maureen invited us to a fundraiser for Bilingual Education for Central America (BECA) in San Francisco in November. It’s a cause Maureen supports because of her work teaching in Honduras while she was earning her degree in International Studies from UW-Madison. Mary Mullins still works at Mader’s restaurant in Milwaukee while her daughter Lizzie graduates from high school in June. I still live in Oakley with my loving – and very patient – sister Tricia, as I continue freelance technology writing while looking for fulltime employment. Tricia’s daughter Erin graduated from the Christian Simpson University in Redding, Calif., with a BA in General Ministries and is currently interning at a church community support program in Connecticut. Joe returned to the bar business this year taking a job at a place called Barnicle Bud’s in Bay View. Tricia and I will be spending Christmas Eve again with Eileen in San Francisco dining at The Fairmont and taking in a Christmas Mass at Grace Cathedral.

Jonases visiting the nuns in Chicago

The nuns are doing well living at Provena McAuley Manor in Chicago and enjoying the occasional visit from relatives such as niece Jane, nephew Jim Jonas and the nun’s sister Teresa Jonas. Like many of you they are still trying to get used to the new liturgy for a Catholic Mass that went into effect on the first Sunday of Advent. Among the changes, instead of saying “one in being with the Father,” you say, “consubstantial with the Father,” which to me means many of the faithful will likely take out their smartphones during Mass to Google/Bing the word “consubstantial.”

Special thanks go out to this year’s contributors to the letter, including Pat Werth, Maureen Drabik, Brian McCorry and Betty Mullins. Here's another link to that slideshow of more family photos that I think you’ll enjoy. Again, my condolences to the family and friends of Aunt Betty and Uncle Bud who will both be missed. I hope having family around you during the holidays will make those losses easier to bear.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Robert Mullins