Obituary of Esther B. Richardson

Esther B. Richardson (nee Bichara) Age 83. Esther (Bichara) Richardson passed away at 9:25 P.M. on June 26, 2016, in the presence of her loving family, and thus her ten-year battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (P.S.P.), a rare brain disorder has ended. There is no known cause, no known cure, and no effective treatment for P.S.P. (see CurePSP at psp.org). Esther is the daughter of Emily (Panayotti), (a native of Bethlehem, Palestine) and Victor Bichara, (a native of Beirut, Lebanon). Esther is survived by her husband, Warren Vincent Richardson, their five children: Vanessa Meyer (Ralph), Shorewood, Paul (Dawn), Channahon, Dr. Emily Richardson-Whisman (Mark), Longmont, CO, Stephen (Maria), Joliet, and Colette Varco (Tom), Johns Creek, GA., and their twelve grandchildren: Teresa and Ralphie Meyer, Grace Richardson, Hannah and Henry Whisman, Stephen Jr., Alton, Anna, Victor, and Mia Richardson, and Adam and Gina Varco. Also surviving are three sisters: Mother Margaret Mary of the Child Jesus, OCD, Prioress of Carmelite Convent, Naga City, Philippines, Mrs. Emily Borgaily, Davao City, Philippines, Mrs. Julia O'Mahony, Jacksonville, Florida, and four brothers, all in the Philippines: Benjamin, Miguel, Victor, Jr. and Alexander Bichara. She is also survived by six sisters-in-law and four brothers-in-law, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, her mother in-law and father in-law, three brothers: Alfredo, Alfonso, and Jaime Bichara, one sister, Mrs. Susana Borgaily, seven sisters in-law and six brothers in-law. Esther and Warren Vincent Richardson were married at Paules (St. Vincent DePaul) Roman Catholic Church in Manila, Philippines on May 4, 1957. They met while Esther was attending St. Scholastica College in Manila (majoring in Music and Liberal Arts) and he was serving in the U.S. Navy at Sangley Point Naval Station, located across Manila Bay from the City. Esther and her husband arrived in Ludlow, Illinois (Esther's first time ever in the USA), in time for Christmas, 1957. She was immediately welcomed with open arms by her in-laws, including the parents of her husband as well as by his nine siblings, their spouses and the many nieces and nephews. Esther remained with her parents in-law for a month while her husband returned to California to obtain his honorable discharge from the Navy after five years of service. The young couple remained with his parents three more months while he searched for employment. This four month period provided opportunities for which Esther, true to her character, took advantage of. She learned to cope with cold, harsh Midwest winter weather, she formed a very loving relationship with her in-laws, especially with her mother in-law, who "took her under her wing" and helped Esther adapt to American culture. Esther, never one to waste an opportunity, was always present to help, to observe, and to ask questions. The relationship she formed with her mother in-law was due in large part to Esther's ability to ask questions and converse in a way that showed genuine interest in the person and make that person feel that Esther cared. Esther treated people in this manner and made many friends during her lifetime. Esther gave birth to and nurtured five children in the next seven years, while her husband worked and attended the University of Illinois. After his graduation, the family moved to the Quad Cities area and subsequently became members of St. John Vianny Catholic Church, a Church they helped build in the new parish established in Bettendorf, Iowa, where they lived. Esther promptly became active in this new Parish. She volunteered to teach CCD to children of the new parish, she worked in fund drives, she hosted luncheons in her home for the parish priest. When the youngest of the children started kindergarten, Esther enrolled in night school at Marycrest College, Davenport, Iowa. After completing the required courses and the required student teaching for the elementary education curriculum Esther received her Bachelors degree. When the family moved to Joliet, Illinois a few months later Esther began substitute-teaching in the Joliet grade school district and continued for several years. This move provided Esther new opportunities to use her innate drive for practicing her Christian beliefs taught by Jesus. The family immediately joined Holy Family Catholic Church where she was very active in the church for sixteen years. She was chosen an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Eucharist. She was a member of the bingo committee as well assisting with the annual ham dinner fund-raiser. She hosted luncheons in her home for the parish priests, and invited them and sometimes their close relatives to family Christmas dinners or other celebrations, because, as she stated on many occasions, "priests are very lonely on holidays and other celebrations." She became a very active volunteer for Joliet Area Community Hospice in its relative infancy, and served for ten years. She served as a member of the bereavement group wherein she made regular visits and consoled the several patients and their families assigned to her. Many of these patients had no close family members or other relatives to visit them. She also devised a computer system for recording and reporting hours served by the many volunteers. She recorded these hours and prepared reports so the Hospice organization could submit the reports and be granted financial assistance from Government agencies. Later on after the family moved to Shorewood, and some of the children went away to college, she volunteered with Crisis-Line. She consoled the many people on the phone who called in with psychological or practical problems and advised them or referred them to other agencies where they could obtain additional assistance. Meanwhile the family joined Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, it being closer to their Shorewood home, and have remained there for twenty eight years. This move provided new opportunities for Esther to expand the practice of her religion for the love of God and service to Him and His people. Among the many services to the parish, Esther lectured and taught in the R.C.I.A. program for new converts, joined the Liturgy committee and hosted their annual post-Christmas dinner-party in her home for eight consecutive years; as seamstress she sewed and embroidered all the altar decorations; she assisted and supervised decorating the Altar for special Holy Days; she volunteered and was appointed Sacristan and served for fourteen years; she performed the "holy wash", i.e., she laundered by hand, the purificators and other altar linens at least 3 times weekly; she laundered priests Albs, vestments, fifty new altar-server gowns, and then those needing washing weekly. She opened the church for daily morning Mass and prepared the altar for the priest. While growing up in the Philippines Esther, along with her parents and her eleven siblings experienced many hardships. They survived the Japanese occupation and the many atrocities during World-War II. Sometimes they had very little to eat. They had no simple things such as toothbrushes and toothpaste. Instead they used twigs from trees and salt to brush their teeth. But these hardships and sufferings served to strengthen their resolve and their religious beliefs and trust in God. They never wavered and they never doubted God. They believed in the end He would protect them and they would persevere. They prayed and always believed in the power of prayer. Esther used that toughness, strength and belief in God throughout her life to help her cope with so many difficult situations, such as those inherent in nurturing and raising her children, while being so far away from her own family. Because she had several small children she was not able to return to the Philippines to visit her family when her father died, nor even to return before a total of sixteen years. Esther never complained while suffering the excruciating pain and ravages of her body caused by the P.S.P. disorder. Instead she prayed and offered her suffering up to God. Many times Esther was asked how she was able to accomplish so many tasks while raising five children and taking care of her family and home, which in addition to those mentioned above, included such tasks as painting the fence, painting and decorating the basement for the grandchildren, wallpapering four bedrooms, painting the kitchen, and many, many more. Her answer was simply: "I just did it!" If asked why she worked so hard performing all the work at church and why she didn't ask for help or get someone as a replacement, her answer was always: "I do it for JESUS !" For recreation Esther eventually developed an interest in golfing and in bowling. She also enjoyed card games with the ladies. Some influence of her spouse led her to even became lukewarm fans of the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears. But Esther delighted in and experienced the greatest joy when she had children around, whether they were her own little ones, her grandchildren or those she met, to entertain, to play video or other games with, or just to hug and make them feel wanted. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Esther's memory to CurePSP at www.psp.org/donate/tribute-gift.html, to Joliet Area Community Hospice, 250 Water Stone Circle, Joliet Il. , or to Saint Paul the Apostle Parish Capital Campaign, 18 N. Woodlawn, Joliet, Il 60435 The family gives special thanks to Dr. Deborah Hall, Rush Medical Center, Chicago, Dr. Robert S. Schubert, DuPage Medical Group, Joliet, and the many nurses and staff of Joliet Area Community Hospice for the compassion and quality of care they provided to our beloved wife, mother, grandmother. We also thank all of Esther's private caregivers for the last several months, especially Patty, Deanna, Maria, Holly, Britney, and Leslie. Your kindness will forever be remembered. Funeral Services for Esther B. Richardson will be held on Friday July 1, 2016 at 9:45 a.m. from the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black at Essington Rds., Joliet to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Interment St. John the Baptist Cemetery. Visitation Thursday 3-8 p.m. For more information: (815) 741-5500.