Carmen Freilich

On December 26, 2022, Carmen Freilich passed away following surgery. She is predeceased by her husband, Dr. Theodore Freilich; father Carmine Chiusano; mother Anna Mae Murphy; brother Angelo Chiusano; and sisters ArcAngela “Tootsie” Chiusano, Winifred Losio, and Gertie Mancuso.

Carmen was born in 1939 and lived her early years in Brooklyn. She was a graduate of St. Catherine’s School of Nursing, and Columbia University School of Nursing, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

In 1971, she moved from Brooklyn to the Chicagoland area with her husband, Dr. Theodore Freilich, an osteopath. Together, they had one daughter, Kristen.

Carmen began her Chicagoland nursing career in Labor and Delivery at Little Company of Mary Hospital, where she met many dear friends. As her career progressed, Carmen held several roles at Olympia Fields Osteopathic Medical Center, including leading the Woman’s Place, a center dedicated to women’s health. If you took Lamaze classes in the southern suburbs of Chicago, Carmen might have been your teacher.

After Dr. Freilich’s passing in 1977, Carmen stayed in the Midwest and raised their daughter as a single mother. Carmen managed to cultivate new relationships with friends and neighbors that exist to this day. Friends often speak of Carmen’s kindness - and her witty sense of humor. She was beloved by friends and acquaintances.

Though she fully embraced Chicago, Carmen considered herself a lifelong New Yorker at heart, evidenced by her “brooklyngirl” email address, her “NU YOK” license plate, and still dropping her “r’s” even 30 years after leaving NYC. Her best friends until the time of her passing remained those she met as a teenager in Brooklyn. She was a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs, crying tears of joy in 2016 when they finally broke the curse.

Carmen was a long-time patron and audience member of both equity and non-equity Chicago theater. She found great joy in the successes of local Chicago actors on stage - and also as they ventured into TV, film, and Broadway. She was a longtime WGN radio fan, WBEZ and WTTW supporter.

Carmen is survived by her daughter, Kristen Himmerick (Shaun); step-children Bruce Freilich (Sherry), Jerry Freilich (Helen), and Linda Hudson; grandchildren Teddy Freilich, Cassie Hudson, Alex Freilich, Ben Freilich, and Stella Himmerick; her brother John Chiusano (Joan); many beloved nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors in Chicagoland and across the country (especially Florence and Loretta); and her adored one-eyed cat, Baby Cat.

Carmen’s passion for women’s healthcare was life-long- and- in lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Planned Parenthood or other organizations that provide women access to healthcare.

If you were lucky enough to know Carmen, you’ll remember the outgoing message on her voicemail, requesting that you tell her something fabulous. If you have a moment today, please say something fabulous, and think of her.