Funeral Details

Sheila Claire Amster Schwartz (Sora Chava bat Mordechai Zanvel), 81, of Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, passed away on Monday, June 15th

Born on February 4, 1945, in Cleveland, Ohio, Sheila grew up in nearby Shaker Heights and graduated from Shaker Heights High School. She went on to attend The Ohio State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree and became a registered dietitian. After moving to Chicago, she worked at Rush Hospital, beginning a career devoted to helping others.

Sheila met her beloved husband, Michael, in Chicago through an introduction arranged by their mothers, who were close friends and shared interests in needlework and bridge. The introduction proved a happy one, and the two were married for fifty-seven years. Together, they raised two daughters in Hyde Park, both of whom remain in the Chicago area with their families.

A devoted member of her community, Sheila was a longtime member of Congregation Rodfei Zedek and managed the Philip H. Cohen Institute for the Visually Handicapped. She served for more than a dozen years on the Board of Directors of the Hyde Park Youth Symphony, continuing her involvement long after her own daughter had moved on from the organization. She also volunteered for the Council for Jewish Elderly and was active in her townhouse association, always eager to lend a hand to neighbors and friends.

Sheila was known for her warmth, her energy, and her quiet generosity. She took genuine interest in the lives of those around her, and freely gave of her time to family, friends, neighbors, and anyone in need. Fellow dog walkers came to know her affectionately as “Bear’s Mom,” as she and her lovely dog, Bear, became familiar figures on neighborhood walks, making friends and lightening the hearts of other dog walkers and those who stopped to admire.

Sheila was the beloved daughter of Martin and Bette Amster and the cherished sister of Steve and Bernard Amster, both of whom predeceased her.
She is survived by her loving husband, Michael; her daughters, Rachel Schwartz Bartlett and her husband, Gabriel Bartlett, and Leah Stokes and her husband, Frank Stokes; and her grandsons, Lucian Bartlett and Jacob Stokes.

Funeral services will be held at Congregation Rodfei Zedek, 5200 S. Hyde Park Boulevard at 10 am, Wednesday, June 17th Chicago, Illinois 60615, followed by interment at Oak Woods Cemetery at 11:30AM. A light luncheon will be served at Congregation Rodfei Zedek following the burial at approximately 12:45AM. Shiva will be at Congregation Rodfei Zedek from 6PM to 9PM on Wednesday and Thursday.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice. To attend the funeral live stream, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com.