Shelly Rae Walczak

Shelly Rae Walczak (née Weber) passed away peacefully at home with loved ones by her side on December 10, 2023. After acting as his caregiver for many years, Shelly follows her husband, John C. Walczak, who passed only ten months ago in February. They will be reunited in the afterlife for their fiftieth wedding anniversary coming up on December 29. Shelly and John leave behind daughters Laurie Schleicher, spouse Aaron Schleicher, and child Xavier Barth of Milwaukee, WI; Heidi Walczak, spouse Bill Crittenden, and child Elijah Walczak of Woodstock, IL; and faithful dog Winnie. Shelly was born on October 27, 1954 to Raymond and Joyce Weber (deceased). Her siblings include Steve (Sherry) Weber, Jan (Ed) Walczak, Joan (David, deceased) O’Halleran, Larry and Garry Weber (deceased), Tyler (Josie) Weber, Ward (deceased) (Sue) Weber, Dale Weber (deceased), Nancy (Ernesto) Mojica, Paul Weber, and Paula (George) Gartner. The oldest girl of ten children, Shelly took on the role of Mother Hen almost her entire life. She was a second mother to her brothers and sisters, she raised her two daughters, and along the way she took countless others under her wing. Her daughters’ friends turned to Shelly for advice throughout her life, and in every professional position she held, she became the much-loved mentor to coworkers. Many of her nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews always enjoyed visits with Aunt Shelly, sure to include snacks, art supplies, silly faces, and sometimes naughty words. Everyone flocked to Shelly. Shelly’s colleagues appreciated her acumen, work ethic, and quick wit. Her crafting friends adored her relentless and sometimes inappropriate sense of humor and fun. Shelly’s dearest friends Verlene (Chris, deceased) Ducey and Lee and Diane Wright treasured her warmth and charm. Her sons-in-law never took for granted how blessed they were to have a mother-in-law like Shelly. Her two grandkids cherished her truly unconditional love and her dedication to teaching them new ways of causing trouble, even as adults. Shelly’s daughters revered her; she will continue to serve as their moral compass and source of strength. Shelly’s hobbies included almost obsessively handmaking cards for every possible occasion. She and her daughter Heidi shared a passion for papercrafts that took them to many events across the Midwest. She was the ringleader at many a crafting weekend. John and Shelly enjoyed cruise nights, car shows, and auto races with Chris and Lynn and adventurous road trips with Lee and Diane. Shelly was a master Scrabble player, a skill she instilled in both her daughters, and Laurie and Heidi will keep the score tablet and list of impressive words going. Shelly took great pride and pleasure in setting up a daily buffet outside her home office windows for chipmunks, squirrels, ducks, birds, bunnies, and even the occasional deer. Finally, Shelly couldn’t help but “futz” around the house: decorating for the seasons, arranging and then rearranging, and just generally bustling about. Her family was delighted when she discovered crafting videos on YouTube because it meant she would sit still for a while. Shelly was both gregarious and gentle, the life of the party and the heart of the family. She was everybody’s mom and then gladly became everybody’s “Grammy.” Shelly will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her. Shelly will be interred at Richmond Cemetery in Richmond, IL with John. At Shelly’s request, there will be no visitation or memorial service. The family will hold a private celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, donations in Shelly’s memory can be made to Journey Care Home Health and Hospice’s Addus Hope Foundation at https://journeycare.org/donate/. For information, please visit www.ehornadams.com or call 815 678-7311.

Shelly Rae Walczak

October 27, 1954 - December 10, 2023