Obituary for Christine Colmar Christine Colmar passed away on April 19, 2018. The only daughter of immigrants from Greece, she achieved the milestone embedded in the customary Greek birthday wish: “May you live to be 100”. Christine was indeed 100.
While toward the end of her life she suffered from some of the maladies of extreme age, including loss of memory, she was a stunning example of eternal youth well into her nineties. Christine’s family and friends adored her. Her beauty, vitality and humor brightened the lives of everyone she touched.
Christine grew up in a Greek neighborhood in Chicago and graduated from one of Chicago’s community colleges. She met John Colmar, the love of her life, at work and after their marriage – in defiance of the then-accepted norm of marrying within the Greek community – she dedicated herself to managing a family of two stepsons from John’s prior marriage, John Jr. and Charles, and four children of her own: three sons, Christopher, Craig and Steven, and daughter Joan. That Christine’s children all inherited her independence and playfulness made her career as a homemaker somewhat challenging.
That Christopher was born with spina bifida made it very challenging. Christine’s steadfast support for John and his career paid dividends. They lived well, enjoying abundant amounts of golf, bridge, and travel.
They particularly favored ocean cruising, and left virtually no “bucket list” entry unchecked. Initially residing in Northfield, Illinois, they divided their time in later years between Northbrook, Illinois, Tequesta, Florida, and Burlington, Wisconsin. Christine was an early adopter of Yoga, which doubtless contributed to her constant misidentification as John’s daughter, belying the mere one year difference in their ages.
John predeceased Christine, as did John Jr., Charles and Christopher. The chorus of those who will miss Christine and whose own lives will continue to be enriched by the gift of her memory and (in some cases) her genetic material include Craig, his wife Teresa, their children Will, Jack and Claire, Steve and his children Julian and Jackie, Joan and her Children Camille (husband Joe) and Alexandra, John Jr.’s children Sherry (husband Jason) and John III (wife Keri) and Charles’s children Edward and Cathy. Fecundity continues unabated in the Colmar lineage, so there are also a number great grandchildren swelling the family ranks.
The family will hold a private memorial for Christine. While Christine and John’s charitable benevolence was widespread, the family has elected to recommend contributions in her memory and in memory of her firstborn and namesake, Christopher, to the Spina Bifida Association, 2211 N. Oak Park Ave. , Chicago, Il 60607.
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