Elizabeth J. “Betty” Chidalek (nee Volom) 84 of Whiting, passed away peacefully on the morning of Monday, July 31, 2017 at the Munster Med-Inn. She was the beloved wife of the late Joseph I. Chidalek who passed away July 21, 1984; loving mother of Bernadette (Phillip) Miner, Theresa (Edward) Zawadzki, Monica (David) Rusnack and the late Daniel Chidalek; cherished grandmother of Carrie Ann Chidalek, Jeremy Rusnack, Kelly (Antonio) Salas and the late Charles J. Miner; adoring great grandma of Alyssa (Christopher Engel) Miner; dear sister-in-law of Donna (late Edward) Chidalek and Jerry (Wilda) Knepper; many nieces, nephews and Godchildren; special friends, Eileen Coppage and the late Lenny Barnaby. She was also preceded in death by two sisters, Rosemary Bobos and Suzanne Volom and a brother Balazs “Sonny” Volom, Jr.

Friends are invited to meet with the family on Saturday, August 26, 2017 from 10:00am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 119th St. and Lincoln Ave., Whiting followed by a Memorial Mass at 11:00am with the Rev. Kevin M. Scalf, C.PP.S., officiating. Interment of Cremain will be in St. John Cemetery, Hammond at a later date. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Baran Funeral Home, 1235-119th St., Whiting.

Betty Chidalek was born on October 24, 1932 to Balazs, Sr. and Elizabeth (Kern) Volom. She was a lifelong resident of the Whiting-Robertsdale Community and was a graduate of George Rogers Clark High School, Class of 1950. She was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Whiting,  serving as a Eucharistic Minister for many years, the St. John Rosary Society and the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Assoc., BR. 81. Betty was an excellent cook and baker. She was known for her Chicken Paprikash, Holubki, potatoes and noodles, roshki and raisin bread. She especially enjoyed the eight years she spent as the cook at the St. John Rectory cooking for the Fathers. She had been an active member of the former Robertsdale Democratic Women’s Organization and enjoyed playing “Ten Thousand” (a dice game) and Pinochle. The family wishes to sincerely thank Betty’s caregivers, London, Linda and Debbie, her doctors, Balagopal Keralavarma and Christopher McIntire, the first floor medical staff at the Munster Med-Inn and Lisa Dempsey, Clinical Case Co-ordinator at St. Margaret Hospital, Hammond for the exceptional care and compassion shown to Betty during her illness. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the “Second Chance 4 Pets Network” or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society would be appreciated. 

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