Marie M. (Kozelka) Sundeen

Our beloved mother, Marie M. Sundeen, 93, fell into the deep sleep of death at home at 9:30 p.m., Aug. 29, following a long illness. 

Marie was born Aug. 15, 1925, in Prairie du Chien, the daughter of Vincent and Josephine (Dvorak) Kozelka. She married Clyde Sundeen, in Rockford, Ill., Nov. 25, 1943. He preceded her in death on April 4, 1991. Mom was an excellent homemaker and enjoyed having numerous house-cleaning jobs. She loved nature as well as reading, Bible-study, sewing, knitting, jigsaw and crossword puzzles, and crocheting. Not least, she also taught my sister and me many valuable lessons in life. One of many lessons that really stands out in my mind is when my sister and I were very young girls, and Mom would send us to the next-door neighbor to shovel snow for him. She told us not to take any pay for it, and if we came home with a quarter, she made us take it back. That was a lifelong lesson of helping others, for the sake of helping and not just for pay. Mom gave us the most important things in life–life and the true Light she was blessed to come in contact with after marrying dad. 

She was also predeceased by her parents when she was a young girl and seven siblings. 

Survivors include daughters Joyce Reichhoff, of Adams, Ill.; Eleanor Sundeen, of Rockford, Ill.; sister Margaret Sutton, of Fla., four grandchildren as well as great- and great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Goodbyes are not forever, goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean we’ll miss you, until we meet again—on Resurrection Day!

Graveside service was held at Sept. 5, in Scandinavian Cemetery, Rockford, Ill.