MELINDA STACHURA

Date of Birth

April 24, 1939

Date of Death

November 24, 2021

Melinda Estelle Stachura, age 82, of Maple Park, passed away quietly into the arms of her Savior, November 24, 2021, surrounded by the love of her son Larry, who cared for her even into her last moments.

Her parents, Sigmond and Stella (Syc) Wozniak suffered through the depression and the loss of two children, Richard in 1937 and Virginia in 1938. They were blessed with Melinda a year later on April 24, 1939, and Priscilla in 1941 in Chicago, IL.  

Melinda grew up in Chicago and attended local schools where she excelled math and music, recreating at home with her dolls the lessons she learned in the classroom. Melinda’s home was blessed with a piano at age 10 and helped to bolster her love of music. The new piano became a family heirloom as it followed her throughout her childhood and into adulthood, finding its final home in Maple Park many years later.  She graduated from Gage Park High School

When she was a senior at Gage Park High School, she attended a dance that would change her life.

Melinda met a tall and handsome man on the dancefloor, Rich Stachura, and that dance would eventually last 58 wonderful years. The romance that began in high school blossomed after graduation in 1957, when she not only received her diploma, but was also voted “most likely to succeed”. They were united in marriage on August 6, 1960, followed by her graduation from Chicago Teachers College a month later. They began their new life in Chicago for time before moving to Wood Dale where they welcomed their son Lawrence Allen in 1961. They would move west to Maple Park, IL, in 1975 where they bought a farm that would house many years of hard work and happy memories.

She taught Kindergarten for the first 34 years before teaching music/preschool at Educare of St. Charles for the next 24 years before her retirement.

After landing in Maple Park, their “slice of Heaven” stoked their love of farming, but beginning in 2000, they would escape their carefully tended fields for the wild beauty that Mother Nature bestowed upon their cabin in Wisconsin. Supported and celebrated by their neighbors, good times were had on every visit. Back home on the farm, Melinda filled the kitchen with mouthwatering aromas and delivered meals fit for a king. Often Rich would remind her during their shopping trips to the market that “there’s only two of us!”, but the dinner table told a different story much to his chagrin.

Grief came to call in December of 2018, when Rich’s battle with cancer came to an end. Melinda, who had cared for Rich on every step of his journey, now found herself in need of caretaking. Her son Larry helped Melinda navigate not only her grief journey, but also battles with her health. She often said she was “strong like bull” and emphasized that Larry too, shared her strength, a strength she would come to rely on heavily. Every day was “mom’s day”, and Melinda set the schedule of household chores, excursions to the market, stops at restaurants, and visits to state parks. Reunited with Rich, Melinda can once again dance across the heavens, keeping time with the songs that sing of their love.

She is survived by her loving son, Larry Stachura and a community of friends, including Ken, Kate, Brandon and Rosemary Nelson, Brad and Suzanne Cessna, Steve and Cathy Maurer and Dan and Lisa Buol.  

She is preceded in death by her parents, Sigmund and Stella Wozniak, two siblings in infancy, her sister, Priscilla and her beloved husband Rich.

Visitation will be Friday, December 3, 2021, from 4-7 p.m., with an informal time of sharing at 5:30 p.m., at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St. Elburn. Additional visitation will be from 9:-10:30 a.m., also at the funeral home, Saturday, December 4, before processing to S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Virgil. Mass will begin at 11 a.m. with interment to follow at S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Melinda’s name to benefit St. Jude’s Research Hospital and Ann & Robert H. Laurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Checks may be made to the “Melinda Estelle Stachura Memorial” and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, 60119. Tributes may also be forwarded to the same address, the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com.

Visitation will be Friday, December 3, 2021, from 4-7 p.m., with an informal time of sharing at 5:30 p.m., at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St. Elburn. Additional visitation will be from 9:-10:30 a.m., a;sp at the funeral home, Saturday, December 4, before processing to S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Virgil. Mass will begin at 11 a.m. with interment to follow at S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery.

5 thoughts on “MELINDA STACHURA

  1. I am so sorry for your loss. Both of our children had the Joy of knowing Ms Melinda thru Educare. She was such a fabulous music teacher to all the Littles. She brought such a light to the rooms as she came in to sing and play music with them.
    Prayers for you during this time.

  2. I remember coming out to the farm with the kids and the mosquitos were so horrible that your Mom insisted the kids coming inside. She was playing with the kids, reading to them and even let the girls leave with a book. Such a warm and welcoming woman.

    My deepest condolences Larry, my heart goes out to you and your loved ones during this difficult time.
    with love, Kristen

  3. I will miss Melinda so much!she was amazing, I have thought about her often throughout the years. She was my role model. She had so much energy, joy, love, to share. She will be missed

  4. I can still remember Melinda’s interview with me at EduCare of St Charles. As we talked in her interview, she pounded her hand on my desk and said she had 30 years left in her to teach. What a ball of positive, fun energy!
    Her love of teaching just radiated from her. Her laugh was contagious. Her energetic singing of seasonal songs are being passed along at EduCare.
    Melinda we’ve been blessed to have had you in our lives. May the children in heaven dance to your beautiful music.
    You will always be in my heart.
    Thank you, it’s been an honor🦋🙏
    Hugs,
    Kim and Children

  5. Oh, Larry! I’m so sorry to hear both of your parents are gone. I just discovered it when I was working on my family tree. The last time I saw them was at my sister’s wake in January 2016. She and Rich came in and gave me a big hug. I’ll never forget her smile and her willingness to help me, as I was a much younger cousin, even when she was ready to go out on a date with Rich. She sparked my interest in art. Please contact me.

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