Growing Up ( Part III )

I have a personal tradition. Whenever someone important to me passes from this earthly life into eternity, I play a recording of the Faure’ Requiem. I especially love to listen to the "In Paradisum” movement and imagine the recently departed entering paradise and being greeted into eternity by God.

On November 20 I listened to the Faure’ Requiem.

Lee Chidsey, was N. Royalton official
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Alana Baranick Plain Dealer Reporter
North Royalton - Lee Chidsey, who directed finances for the city of North Royalton and choirs for several churches, died Saturday at Hospice Services of Southwest General in Strongsville.
The 86-year-old North Royalton resident served as finance director from December 1969 until retiring in 1986. For most of those years, she also was the city's tax administrator.
Chidsey, who was born Leonore Saunders in North Royalton, graduated from North Royalton High School in 1937. For two years, she attended a Cleveland business school that was a forerunner of David N. Myers University.
In her first finance-related job, she kept books for the Northern Ohio Food Terminal in Cleveland. She later was a payroll clerk for the North Royalton schools.
As a young woman, she directed the choir at Bennett's Corners Community Methodist Church in Hinckley Township near the North Royalton border. In the early 1940s, she lived in Wake man in Huron County, where she led a Congregational church choir.
She stayed with her sister in Brooklyn, while her husband, Harold "Hal," served overseas with the Army during World War II. After the war, the Chidseys lived at Hal's parents farm in Brunswick until buying a farmhouse in North Royalton.
Chidsey conducted the North Royalton PTA Mother Singers for 10 years. When her husband was band director at North Royalton High School in the 1950s, the mother of four sewed outfits for the majorettes and cheerleaders.
She served as choir director at North Royalton United Methodist Church, started its bell choir and played piano for Sunday school classes. She also wrote, directed and made costumes for holiday pageants.
On Christmas Eve, she led choristers at two services. Between sessions, she fed the singers at her house. Chidsey's relatives traditionally gathered at her home at dawn for Christmas breakfast.
The choir director celebrated Thanksgiving with a family jam session of seasonal tunes. All of her offspring play musical instruments. Those too young to have mastered an instrument play triangles or tambourines, so nobody feels left out. The tradition will continue the day after Chidsey's funeral.
In addition to her husband of 64 years, who retired as band director at Brecksville High School, survivors include her daughters, Joanna Haberbusch of Burbank and Janet Doty of Mentor; sons, Robert of North Royalton and Ronald of Brunswick; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at North Royalton United Methodist Church, 13601 Ridge Road, North Royalton.
Arrangements are by Babitt Funeral Home of North Royalton.

At the funeral, I saw Jan for the first time in 21 years. For the moment that we hugged each other it was 1963. It was a moment to be close to Mrs. Chidsey one last time.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. Et lux perpetua luceat eis.