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