November 9, 2006

OBITUARIES

Anne Bily

Anne (Husiak) Bily died Monday, Nov. 6, at Norwood Crossings in Chicago, Ill. She was 90.

Anne was born Jan. 5, 1916, in Calgary, Alberta, to Michael and Katherine Husiak. Her parents emigrated to Canada from the Ukraine in the early 1900s. The family later emigrated to the United States (Chicago, Ill.).

In 1938, Anne received her nursing degree from Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing. In 1940, she married Arthur N. Bily, a recently ordained Presbyterian minister. They were blessed with two sons, Arthur Michael and William Stuart Bily. From Chicago, Art’s ministry took them to Macomb, Ill., Sitka, Alaska, (where Arthur Michael was born), Detroit, Mich., (where William Stuart was born), and then back to the Chicago area. In 1964, Art and Anne moved to Yellow Springs.

During her career as a nurse, Anne worked at Children’s Hospital in Detroit, several doctors’ offices, River’s Edge Psychiatric Hospital in Chicago, and Antioch College in Yellow Springs. She retired from her position as school nurse at Antioch in 1980, but she never retired from nursing her family and friends, and she never lost her drive to help others.

During the mid-50s, Anne and Art spent their summers running Camp Gray/Westminister Woods in Saugatuck, Mich., a program that provided Chicago’s inner city children with an opportunity to experience nature and explore their spirituality. In 1953, having fallen in love with Saugatuck, they purchased a small summer cottage on the Kalamazoo River. The cottage soon came to represent the heart and soul of the family. Anne spent many happy summers at the cottage with her husband, children, grandchildren, and friends, making pierogies and peach dumplings, hunting for mushrooms, watching the boats and birds go by along the river, and keeping everyone busy with projects and chores. Her family continues that tradition.

Anne blessed her family and many friends with an indomitable spirit and fierce will. She taught us, by example, how to live simply and enjoy a bounty of our own creation. She was a fantastic cook and seamstress, a philanthropist, and an advocate of all God’s creatures.

Anne was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, John Husiak; and by her beloved husband, Arthur.

She is survived by her two sons and their wives, Arthur and Diane Bily of Elmwood Park, Ill., and William and Rose Bily of Palatine, Ill.; her grandchildren and their spouses, Katherine and Michael Wallace of Chicago, Ill., and Michael and Jessica Bily of Xenia; and her great-grandchild, Nicholas Wallace of Chicago, as well as many other family members and friends.

Services will be held Friday, Nov. 10, in Chicago. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to First Presbyterian Church of Yellow Springs in Anne’s memory.

Gerald Chenault

Gerald Lincoln Chenault died Oct. 31. He was 63.

He was born to James and Helen Chenault in Manchester, Ohio. Being the youngest, he was a source of joy not only to his parents, but also to his seven siblings. He enlisted in the National Guard, and was an active member until the early 1970s. He left Manchester for employment in the Xenia/Yellow Springs area, and eventually secured employment at Morris Bean and Company where he worked until this year.

Gerald was always inquisitive and industrious and never forgot his church upbringing. His interest in politics, current events and sports is legendary. The workplace spurred him on to become active in other pursuits such as union affairs, locally and statewide, and he was well versed in employer/employee relations.

He was also a part-time employee at Target for a number of years.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Joyce Hall.

Gerald is survived by his wife, Gail; daughters and a son-in-law, Robin Kirksey, Germica and Licole Chenault; three grandchildren, Angel, Chancellar and Avalon; brothers, James and David Chenault of Dayton; sisters and brothers-in-law, Mary and Bernard Graves of Upper Marlboro, Md., June Mullins of Xenia, Dorothy and Richard Freeman of Springfield, and Bonita and Joe Bond of Hillside, Md.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Services were held on Friday, Nov. 3, in the St. John Missionary Baptist Church with interment following on Saturday, Nov. 4, in Ferncliff Cemetery.