Lillian Mccartan

Lillian (Mitrus) Kosciuk McCartan was called home peacefully and joyfully into the Lord's arms on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at the age of 93. As she lived all her days, so did she pass, with grace and open arms. Lillian was born Oct. 15, 1926, in Endicott, New York, the second youngest of 10 children, to George and Maria "Mary" (Branick) Mitrus. Although her parents met in New York, they were both from Bratislava, Austria-Hungary, on the Danube River. Lillian graduated from UnionEndicott High School in 1944 and attended Binghamton City Hospital School of Nursing until 1947. The Mitruses were a close, loving family and spoke Russian in the home. The children were raised in the Russian Orthodox faith and attended Russian School. Deeply religious, they were members of St. Peter and Paul Church, and later St. Mary's Greek Catholic Orthodox Church where Lillian received First Communion. Lillian's parents kept a big garden, grape arbor, fruit trees, fruit cellar, a horse and two cows - Betty and Bossie. Lillian was a petite, beautiful and stylish woman with an effervescent personality. While studying to be a nurse, she met Chester T. "Chet" Kosciuk when he asked her to dance at the Frederick Hotel in Endicott. Handsome, charming, extremely intelligent and a great dancer, Chet swept her off her feet. Lillian and Chet were married July 7, 1949, at St. Mary's Church, honeymooning at Niagara Falls and The Thousand Islands. Soon after, the newlyweds moved to Detroit for Chet's career as a customer service engineer for IBM. Their first son, Christopher, was born there in 1950. The young family soon moved to Columbus, Ohio, for Chet's work. Barbara was born there in 1953, Steven in 1954, and Carol in 1957. The couple bought a new home in Columbus where Lillian and Chet raised their family in the Catholic faith, attending Christ the King Parish and School. Holidays were always special thanks to Lillian's fine decorating, shopping and culinary skills. Through the years the family enjoyed wonderful annual two-week vacations around the country, visiting World's Fairs, relatives in California, historical sites and Florida. In the early '60s Lillian began working as a customer service representative for Columbus and Southern Ohio Electric Co. She also taught transactional analysis to the company's employees. While the kids were growing up, Lillian was active in many organizations - as president of the Christ the King Parish Council of Women, Church Choir, PTA, Franklin County Heart Association, and for theatrical groups, the Scottwood Fantastics and CTK Kapers. She and Chet had many friends and hosted many parties. Lil took up golfing to keep up with Chet's love of sports, becoming an avid golfer herself and golfing into her 80s, often three times a week. Lillian joined the Columbus Maennerchor-Damenchor in German Village in 1963 and sang in the choir, served as financial secretary, learned German and performed in choral concerts. She and Chet dined and danced plenty of polkas at the club's Oktoberfests. In 1978 Lil embarked on a spectacular concert tour along the Rhine River with both choirs. In 1983 Lillian married Jack E. McCartan in Dublin, Ohio. She retired from the Electric Co. and they bought a home in Cincinnati where Jack worked as head chemist for the Kroger Bakery. They moved to Peachtree City, Georgia, briefly, for Jack's work before returning to their home in Cincinnati. In retirement, for several years they lived half the year in Apollo Beach, Florida; where her children and grandkids were able to visit them. Jack passed away in 1995 but Lil continued to live her active and independent life, maintaining her own finances, home, health and busy social calendar. In her lifetime, Lil traveled much of the United States, Canada's Lake Louise, Banff and Jasper, and the world, visiting Europe, Mexico and, with her sister Vera, their parents' homeland in Eastern Europe, as well as cruising to Alaska, and the Mediterranean - at age 81 - with grandchildren Talia and Luke to celebrate Talia's high school graduation. In Cincinnati, Lil was a 25-year member and served as president of the Mercy Hospital Anderson Guild; a 25-year member of the Royal Oak (later Stillmeadow) Country Club; and the Wagon Wheels Women's Club. A gifted soprano with a lifelong love of music, Lillian also sang for the Masonic Scottish Rite Choir, Clermont Philharmonic Festival Chorus, Forest-Aires, and with her beloved choir at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. In 2016, friends and family gathered from near and far to celebrate Lillian's 90th birthday at Stillmeadow Country Club, dining and dancing to live music well into the evening. Lillian was preceded in death by her dear parents, her nine siblings, her husbands Chet and Jack, and her son Chris whom she took loving care of in her later years while he was recovering from a traumatic brain injury. She is survived by and will be forever cherished by her children, Barbara and Ron Herr in Columbus, Steve Kosciuk and Betty Kaiser in Madison, Wisconsin, and Carol and Jim Marino in Kalispell, Montana; her grandchildren, Talia Marino and Oswaldo Najarro in Sherman Oaks, California, and Luke Marino in Kalispell; nieces Andrea and Richard Wemette, and Diane Darvey; and Jack's children. A private family visitation will be held for Lillian at T.P. White Funeral Home in Cincinnati, and a private Funeral Mass will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Cincinnati, streamed live on the church's website, www.ihom.org. A celebration of Lillian's life will be held at a later date. We thank all of Lillian's dear friends and church family who have shared their love and friendship through the years. Mom, we are forever grateful for your love, gentleness and sacrifice. With faith and strength you conquered all the challenges life gave you. Your life is a testament to the potential God has given each of us, and the opportunity to celebrate that gift with joy, generosity and abiding love. 'Well done, good and faithful servant." Bless you, Mom. Dlya nashego zdorov'ya!