FUNERAL MASS

Mary Therese Middono Comer

July 16, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. St. Joseph Catholic Church

Libertyville, IL

Celebrant

Fr. Emanuel Torres-Fuentes, Pastor

Organist Kevin Burrow

Cantor

Philip Johnson

Soloist Marge Dinklenburg

Mary Therese Middono Comer Mary Therese (Terry) Middono Comer passed away peacefully in her sleep July 15, 2020 after enjoying a full

and vibrant life of 91 years. She was a beloved daughter, spouse, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, as well as being a talented musician (piano), singer, music teacher and choir director. Terry was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Cecilia (Rinie) Middono and by her husband, William P. Comer, Sr. She is survived by her children, Constance Pechura (James Ingram), William P. Comer, Jr (Kathleen), Judith Comer-Schultz, Thomas Comer (Mary Lou) and RJ Comer (Deborah Rosenthal).

She is also survived by 13 grandchildren: Stephanie Pechura, William Comer III, Jennifer Ellingsen (Mike), Julianna Pfingstler (Adam), Megan Van Hover (Craig), Ellen Arigo, Hilary Wilkie (Kevin), Thomas Schultz Jr (Shayna Nelson), Terrence Schultz, Franklin Comer, Tommy Comer (Kara), Alexandra Comer, and Ryan Comer.

She also leaves 19 great-grandchildren: Kyrsten, Ashley, Billy IV, Zachary, Logan, Aurora, Jayden, Francesca, Chyleise, William (Chanel), Katherine, Lauren, Joanna (Daniel), Khyle, Therese, Addison, Mickey, Georgia, and Jolynne. A passionate dog lover, she is survived by her beloved Golden Retriever, Buddy.

Born in Oak Park, Illinois and raised in Chicago, she showed her musical talents early and was teaching piano by 8th grade at her own school St Ferdinand’s Catholic in Chicago. She sang for the USO during WWII and in 1944 at age 16 she sang a duet with Gene Autry in a USO Show in Soldier’s Field. Her beloved high school years were spent at the Notre Dame High School for Girls in Chicago. Throughout her high school years she volunteered at Hine’s Veteran’s Hospital in Chicago spending time with young patients who had returned from the war with devastating injuries. After high school, she studied at the Chicago Musical College.

In June of 1949 she married William Comer and together they eventually made their home in Libertyville Illinois. In Libertyville, she served as Music Director for St. Joseph Catholic Church and as a K-8 Music teacher and Choir Director for St. Joseph Catholic School, in addition to guiding private piano and organ students. In the 1970s, she taught music privately in West Bend WI and at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Newburg, WI.

Later in life, Terry worked for IBM in the Los Angeles California area and for SAIC in Tucson Arizona. She earned a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Arizona and a Graduate Certificate in Music Therapy at Arizona State University. Her management of the defense security protocols at SAIC Tucson earned her the prestigious Cogswell Award. The Cogswell Award is the most prestigious honor the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) can bestow to a cleared industry contractor. Of the more than 13,000 cleared contractors in the National Industrial Security Program (NISP), less than 1% are annually selected to receive this award.

In Tucson, she continued to teach private students in piano and voice and enjoyed using her musical therapy skills working with residents of Handmaker Senior Living community. While in Tucson, she was a parishioner at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Over the years she was an accompanist and singer for local shows & gigs at Moorpark College (CA), Westlake Village (CA), Canyon Ranch Wellness Resort (AZ), and the Actor’s Studio (AZ).

Terry’s passion in life was her family and music. She inspired many, including her own family, to appreciate a wide range of music from Classical to Classic rock, Broadway musicals, Big Band Swing to Jazz and the Blues. She was always ready to listen to her extended family members and was a supportive and loving presence in our lives. She was an optimist by nature, loved all of her friends and she so much enjoyed a Martini and laughing with her dear friend Ellen Jennings of Libertyville. There really aren’t enough words to express how much she will be missed.

Her message to all was always to keep music in your lives in any way that brings you happiness. Her ashes will be interred with her husband, William, at Ascension Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, 701 E. Columbia Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45215-3999 or https://6790.thankyou4caring.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=298

THE ORDER OF MASS

Introductory Rites

Greeting

Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

℟ And with your spirit.

Sprinkling with Holy Water

Priest: In the waters of Baptism, Mary died with Christ and rose with him to new life. May she now share with him eternal glory.

Entrance Procession – Sing with All the Saints in Glory (HYMN TO JOY) The Assembly Sings:

Collect – ℟ Amen. All sit.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading – Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 Proclaimed by Ellen Arigo

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces. A time to seek, and a time to lose, a time to keep, and a time to cast away. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak, a Time to love,

and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What advantage has the worker from his toil? I have considered the task that God has appointed for the sons of men to busied about. He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without man’s ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done. The word of the Lord. ℟ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 23 (Owen Alstott)

Second Reading – Thessalonians 4:13-18 Proclaimed by Hilary Wilkie

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep. Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself, with a

word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words. The word of the Lord. ℟ Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation – Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen) All stand.

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Gospel – Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in

reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” The Gospel of the Lord. ℟ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

All sit.

Homily

The Universal Prayer – ℟ Lord, hear our prayer. All stand. Read by Jennie Comer Ellingsen and Julianna Comer Pfingstler

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Offertory Song – Softly and Tenderly (Will Thompson)

Gift Bearers – Bill and Kathy Comer & Family

All stand.

Priest: Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father. ℟ May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.

Prayer over the Offerings

Preface Dialogue

Priest: The Lord be with you. ℟ And with your spirit. Priest: Lift up your hearts. ℟ We lift them up to the Lord. Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. ℟ It is right and just.

EUCHARISTIC ACCLAMATIONS – Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen) TEXT: © 2010, ICEL. MUSIC: Mass of Creation, Marty Haugen © 1984, 1985, 2010, GIA Publications, Inc.

All kneel.

Mystery of Faith

Amen

All stand.

Communion Rite

The Lord’s Prayer

Sign of Peace Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always. ℟ And with your spirit.

Lamb of God – Holy Cross Mass (David Clark Isele)

All kneel.

Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

℟ Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Communion Song – Panis Angelicus (Cesar Franck)

Communion Meditation – Ave Maria (Franz Schubert)

Prayer after Communion – ℟ Amen. All stand.

Final Commendation

Words of Remembrance – Given by Judy Comer Schultz All sit.

Invitation to Prayer All stand.

Song of Farewell – May the Angels Lead You into Paradise (Howard Hughes)

Prayer of Commendation – ℟ Amen.

Procession to Place of Committal – On Eagle’s Wings (Michael Joncas)

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in his shadow for life, say to the Lord: “My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!”

For to his angels he’s given a command to guard you in all of your ways; upon their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

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