Amelia Saccaro

STOUGHTON - Amelia L. Saccaro, age 95, passed away on Monday June 17, 2019. She was born November 8, 1923 in Chicago Heights, Illinois.

Amelia believed that "education is the key." She herself was only able to graduate from 8th grade from the one room Katz Corners school in south Chicago, despite the pleas from the high school principal to her mother to allow her to continue her schooling. Amelia had to go to work at 14 yrs. old during the Depression to help support the family after the death of her father, and after being evicted from the farm. She was full of energy, up to any challenge, and shared her love for life, always with a smile for those who knew her. She challenged the cultural norms of the day, and married an Italian at 19 who she met on a blind date. She worked in various factories during the War, and ran a truck stop as cook, waitress, and dishwasher. She later earned a G.E.D. and took and passed as many allowable college degree credit exams through the College Level Examination Program. Her professional career ended as the only female Industrial Engineer at Aldens Corporation in Chicago. Amelia adored her grandchildren, Mikkin and Nick, and shared many adventures and hilarious moments with them. She loved to send greeting cards with "a couple bucks for coffee", calling to sing Happy Birthday, feeding the birds and squirrels (especially Cookie), and meeting and chatting with those who came down Roy Avenue and stopped by her "little cabin" that she proudly purchased on her own. She took no medication, other than a baby aspirin everyday, and had 7 teeth pulled but would not take a Tylenol because "it messes with your mind." Amelia answered a casting call for those who "looked Russian" and appeared in the opera "Petruska" at the Civic Opera House. She was a hold out for direct deposit but could use Google correctly in a sentence, delighted in taking selfies with the family, and was proud to have a rotary phone on the wall. She loved to talk politics with anyone, religion with Mikkin's husband, Pastor Karl, and she played the lottery with the same numbers for years because "someone wins". Though neither quite understood it's meaning, she often told her daughters, "The world is your oyster.", as they were growing up in Cicero. To help make that possible, Amelia worked three jobs, at one point, so both could attend a private high school in LaGrange Park-a world away from the 2nd floor front, six flat. And as fate would have it, Bonnie met her future husband, Joe; a very successful, businessman. Though she was at first unconvinced, each time Joe had an idea to make her life easier, she came to readily and gratefully agree to let him do the work. Amelia was a woman of great wisdom, empathy, and common sense. She was very well read, her coffee was undrinkable by mere mortals, and her lasagna and bricole were unmatched. Before she was 29 at every birthday because "a birthday is just a number." She sang and danced to Elvis and Neil Diamond, both of whom she saw in concert, belted out Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash, and did her RBG exercises. Amelia had cataract surgery in both eyes at 95 and loved her new look with her "trendy" glasses. She lived each day to the fullest with a glass never half empty. Amelia passed peacefully at 95 years young in her favorite chair, with her new perm, after having spent a full day with all the family members; including the new great-grandson she had not met. Her daughters have paid tribute to their mom by earning several advanced degrees and choosing careers in education to provide more opportunities to children and adolescents; because as we know, "education is the key." There was no one quite like Amelia Lenore Grakauskas- Saccaro; she lived life with great passion, resilience, humor, loyalty, and a streak of independence that served her well for 95 years.

Survivors: Amelia is survived by daughters Dr. Lynne, Bonnie Steltenkamp (Joe), granddaughter Mikkin Helvig (Karl), grandson Nick Steltenkamp, great-grandchildren Tobiah, Esther, Naomi, Asa Helvig, sister Frances Hoffman, her beloved companion Patton, grandogs Knox and Jobin, grandcat Zekkers, many nieces and nephews, and her special young friends and dear neighbors.

Preceded in death by: her husband of 44 years, Quinn, Nine siblings: Joseph, Anna, Josie, Stanley, Alice, Helen, Bernice, Phillip, Elizabeth.

A time of reflection will be at 4:30 PM on Thursday June 20, 2019 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 206 W. Prospect St. Stoughton. A gathering will be from 4:00 until 6:00 on Thursday at the funeral home.

Cress Funeral and Cremation Service
206 W Prospect St. Stoughton
608-873-9244