Bernardine Joan Scheid

Bernardine grew up surrounded by her mother’s family and fondly recalled spending summers at her grandparents' house near Pulaski Avenue in Chicago, which was then the western edge of the city. Her grandparents’ cow, chickens, and large garden kept them supplied with healthy food during the tough economic times of her early childhood.

Bernardine went to Resurrection High School and worked the soda fountain in the downtown Walgreens during the summer of 1946. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Rosary College (now Dominican University) in 1953 and immediately took a teaching job substituting at Corkery Elementary School where she met her future husband, Bill. They married on Thanksgiving in 1954 and regaled their kids with stories from their honeymoon where they drove to Miami on pre-interstate highway roads and then sampled the vibrant nightlife in Havana, Cuba.

In between the births of her five children, Bernardine continued teaching part time while taking courses at the Chicago Teacher’s College to obtain qualifications to teach physically and mentally disabled students. After the birth of her last child in 1965, she went back to teaching full time at the Christopher Elementary School and its branch, the Nightingale School. In 1973, she obtained her master’s degree in special education from Chicago State University. In the time before assistive technology, she was proud of the creative solutions she and her team came up with to help the students overcome their learning challenges, and these children responded well to the care, patience, and compassion Bernardine had for them.

After her school day was complete, Bernardine came home to her own five energetic children, who she kept occupied with a steady stream of crafts, songs, and games (and chores!). These came in handy when Bill and Bernardine would load the kids in the station wagon without A/C for long driving trips throughout North America. In between their loud singing to pass the time, she valiantly tried to teach her kids about the states they were passing through, insisting Bill pull over so she could read roadside Historical Markers, though she may have just wanted to get out of the car for a moment’s peace. She was known to extend those peace moments on many occasions at rest stops, exercising her outgoing nature and interest in people by striking up conversations with other travelers that always began, “Hi. We’re from Chicago, and…”.

Bernardine attended many school functions with Bill. When he became principal of Bogan High School, she enjoyed dressing up as his date for the many homecoming dances, Christmas dances, and proms they chaperoned. She warmly welcomed her children’s friends, and they affectionately dubbed her Ski Mom for always holding down a table with lunch laid out for the hungry skiers during many Wisconsin and Michigan ski trips. She graciously welcomed international university friends to her home, when her children would invite them, last minute, to spend the holidays. With all five of her children attending the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, she became a true Illini fan. She and Bill held season tickets to the football games for over 20 years and looked forward to travelling to bowl games in winning years. Football weekends were a good excuse for large family gatherings with her children (and grandchildren) happy to visit their alma mater.

Upon retirement in 1991, Bernardine and Bill travelled the world, giving her ample opportunity to learn the cuisines and cultures of the countries they visited, which fed her lifelong curiosity. She enjoyed her subscriptions to Chicago’s Lyric Opera and Shakespeare Theatre and saw many Drury Lane musicals in later years.

After Bill’s passing in 2014, she took up serious gardening and generously supplied her family, friends, and neighbors with a bounty of herbs she’d meticulously dry and package every year. She was a loving grandmother to her seven grandchildren and delighted in spending time and supporting the activities of each of them. All were always amazed at her power of recall for events (or meals!) from any time in her life and her gift for storytelling.

Bernardine was the loving mother of Elizabeth (Bruce Hajek) Scheid, Theresa (John) Balamuta, William (Colleen) Scheid, and Robert Scheid. Cherished grandmother of John (Roshani Sheth) and James (Hulya Yigit) Balamuta; Brittany (Kenji Aono) Scheid and Brianna Hajek; Daniel (Holly), Joshua, and Ian Scheid; great granddaughter Mariko Aono. Preceded in death by her beloved husband, William, and her oldest daughter, Catherine Scheid; her mother Mildred Roussos and sister, Cecelia Mazon; and other beloved family and friends.

The family is grateful for all her caregivers who helped her continue to be as active as possible during her last years.

If you would like to honor her legacy, please make a donation in Bernardine’s name to Dominican University, www.dom.edu; EWTN Global Catholic Network, www.ewtn.com or Arbor Day Foundation, arborday.org/planned-giving.

Visitation is on Friday, September 19, 2025, from 9-11 a.m. at Blake Lamb Funeral Home, 4727 West 103rd Street, Oak Lawn, IL, 60453, 708-636-1193. Funeral mass following at 11:30 a.m. at St. Christina Church, 11005 S Homan Ave, Chicago, IL 60655. Internment at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. (708) 422-3020.