By Staff
Doreen A. Strantz, 78, of Copp Road, Niles, died a 7:40 a..m. Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Ind., unexpectedly.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Doreen A. Strantz will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday, June 16, at Saint Mary Catholic Church in Niles by the Rev. William T. Melody of Notre Dame, Ind.
Committal rites will follow at Highland Cemetery in South Bend, Ind.
The family will receive friends and relatives from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the recitation of the Rosary at 7:30 p.m.
She was born on Jan. 30, 1930, in Chicago, Ill., to Andrew and Etu "Ethel" Fraula (Galgoczi) Kasamis.
She moved to Niles in 1973, from South Bend, Ind.
She had previously been employed as a salesperson by Hickory Farms at University Park Mall in Mishawaka, Ind. and Rowley's Shoe Store in Niles.
She graduated from Washington High School in South Bend, Ind. with the Class of 1947, where she was a member of the Drama Club.
She was a member of Saint Mary Catholic Church in Niles, the Concertina Mass Choir with Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Edwardsburg.
She volunteered at Notre Dame Medjugorje Conferences and was active in the Medjugorje Movement.
She was a woman of faith. Her persistence in prayer was enduring, through good and bad times. She was always "on the phone" to heaven, whenever her children, grandchildren or friends had a need.
An example of her faith was when one of her sons was in a coma, after a mountain-hiking accident. After her and dad's prayers, and a bottle of Lourdes water, her son miraculously awoke the next day.
She will be remembered as the best wife, mother and confidante. She was someone you could look up to and rely on.
On June 21, 1951, in South Bend, Ind., she married Edward W. Strantz who survives.
Additional surviving family includes her children, James (Linda) Strantz of Fairfield, Calif., Jerome Strantz and Philip (Susan) Strantz, both of South Bend, Ind., Joanne Strantz of San Diego, Calif. and Patricia (Jose Rodriguez) Strantz of Newport News, Va.; 10 grandchildren and two brothers, Andrew Kasamis of Trona, Calif. and Joseph Kasamis of Las Vegas, Nev.
Memorial contributions may be made to Salesian Missions, 2 Lefevre Lane, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10801-5710, or Society of the Little Flower, 1313 Frontage Road, Darien, IL 60561-5340.
Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.