Philomene Marie Calba (Parise) passed away on Monday August 3 ^rd , 2020 at age 62, following a

5-and-a-half-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Philomene passed at Lutheran General Hospital in

Park Ridge, Illinois with family by her side. She was born in Chicago, Illinois on August 15, 1957

to Peter and Loula Parise and was raised alongside her brothers Dominic and Joe and sister Sandi.

She attended St. Benedicts school from Kindergarten through high school where she graduated in

1975. Following Highschool Philomene worked at a local bank as well as taking on various other

jobs to work herself through College at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She loved learning and

school, and worked hard to excel in her college classes. Philomene graduated with a degree in Child

Psychology and began working at Lutheran General Children's Daycare as a preschool teacher,

where she would go on to work for 27 years. She loved working with children and was beloved by

her students, parents, and co-workers alike. She would often run into her former students, now

adults, and great them with joy and a hug.

While still pursuing her degree, Philomene met Michael Calba while he was a manager at a

restaurant in Chicago. The pair married on June 27 ^th 1987 in St.Benedicts church. In March of 1995,

the couple welcomed their first child Peter Michael. In 1998 they welcomed their second child

Dorothy Ann, shortly before which they moved to Des Plaines, Illinois where they resided for 22

years.

Her faith in God, family and friends carried her through her battle with pancreatic cancer.  Her

diagnoses in February 2015 was her second lifetime cancer diagnoses, she had already beat breast

cancer in 2005. Philomene managed to stay brave and positive throughout her cancer treatments,

never afraid to die as she was confident of her ultimate resting place in heaven.  Her odds to

survive 5 years were only 9%, her strength surprised doctors at every turn.

Philomene possessed a strong faith in God and, especially following her diagnoses, loved to share

the good news of Jesus Christ with whomever she met. She was a committed member of the Bridge

Community Church for 20 years where she served the congregation in multiple capacities. She

served as a mentor to many, guiding them with her wisdom and positive attitude, creating many

close friendships in the process. Philomene loved to laugh and was a joy to everyone she met.

Even one week before her passing she enjoyed a night of laughs attending online church with her

family, ordering pizza, and watching a British mystery movie.

Philomene will be deeply missed by her Husband, Michael, her son Peter, her daughter Dorothy,

her brothers Joseph (Barbara) and Dominic Parise, father in law Kenneth Krueger, brother in law

Kenneth Stortz, Sister in laws Carolyn Calba and Mary Francois, nieces and nephews, her beloved

dog buddy and many loving friends.

Philomene was preceded in death by her Father and Mother Peter and Loula Parise, her sister

Sandi Stortz, her brother in law Kerry Calba and her mother in law Gloria Krueger.

In lieu of flowers memorial Donations can be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network or the

American Cancer Society.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

^"16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is

being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely

incomparable eternal weight of glory. ¹⁸ So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Memorial service will take place at The Bridge Community Church in Des Plaines, IL.

Funeral care provided by G.L. Hills Funeral Home and Cremation Center. For information call 847-699-9003.