Mary Elizabeth Lazar

Mary Elizabeth “Betty” (Shinners) Lazar of Crown Point, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2009, the first day of spring, at Chicagoland Christian Village in Crown Point. She was born in 1923 in Gary, IN, to Matthew and Elizabeth Shiners. Betty was married for forty-five years to Anthony “Tony” Lazar who passed away in 1987. She is survived by her children: Dr. Anthony S. (Bernice) Lazar of Tacoma, WA, Patricia (Joseph) Melendes of Egg Harbor, WI, Hon.Theresa Lazar (David) Springmann of Fort Wayne, IN and Vincent J. (Lisa) Lazar of Greencastle, IN, her sister Dorothy (Shinners) Hayduk of Valparaiso, IN, and brother, Edward (Joan) Shinners of Murray, KY; sister-in-law Elizabeth Lazar of Phoenix, AZ. Betty was the proud grandmother of eleven grandchildren: Marcella Lazar Shinder of New York, NY; Kristine Lazar (Mark) Grace of Auburn, WA; Daniel (Lauren) Lazar of Medina, WA; Thomas (Rachel) Lazar of Seattle, WA; Mark (Christine) Melendes of Chicago, IL; Sarah Melendes Morrow of West Des Moines, IA; Matthew (Maria) Melendes of Milwaukee, WI; Glenn Springmann and Anthony Springmann of Ft. Wayne, IN. She was also a great-grandmother of twelve great-grandchildren (Madeleine Shinder; Joshua, Kathleen and Nicholas Grace; James, Jason and Anna Lazar; Samantha Lazar; Leo Melendes; Samantha and Andrew Morrow; and, Eliana Melendes. Betty was an aunt and great aunt to many nieces and nephews, who survive. Betty was a 1941 graduate of Emerson High School in Gary. She attended Gary Business College before marriage. Betty and Tony loved in Gary until 1967. They then moved to and became the first residents of the Lakes of the Four Seasons community in Crown Point. Betty lived in the Lakes of the Four Seasons until 1994 when she moved to Valparaiso to be with family. Some of her happiest memories were of playing golf, playing bridge, and bowling with Four Seasons friends. Betty worked part-time for Sears and Roebuck in Gary as a telephone operator in the 1960’s and 1970;s. She then worked as an administrative assistant for the LOFS Property Owners Association until her move to Valparaiso. Over the years Betty was a member of St. Luke Catholic Church in Gary, Our Lady of Consolation Church of Merrillville, St. Elizabeth Seton Church of Valparaiso, St. Paul Catholic Church of Valparaiso, and most recently of Holy Spirit Catholic Church of Crown Point. She was also a member of numerous church and community organizations. Betty was an avid golfer, bowler and tennis player. She shared her late husband’s love of sports, and passed on her competitive spirit to her children and their children. Second only to her pride of family, was that of being Irish. Visitation for Betty will be held on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Burns Funeral Home, 10101 Broadway, Crown Point, IN. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Directly at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 7667 E. 109th Avenue, Crown Point on Thursday, March 26, 2009, with Rev. Joseph V. Murphy officiating. Interment Calumet Park Cemetery, Merrillville. In lieu of flowers, contributions are requested to Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Mary Elizabeth Lazar

April 9, 1923 - March 20, 2009