On Behalf of Celeste Sluis

Celeste Lynn Sluis was called home to our Lord Saturday (Feb. 19, 2022) after her long and courageous battle with cancer. She passed as she lived, surrounded by her adoring family.

She was born Sept. 21, 1959, in Hazel Crest, the daughter of Harold and Amelia Schriefer.

Celeste married William “Bill” Sluis on Sept. 29, 1979; and they had recently celebrated 42 wonderful years together as husband and wife.

She and Bill had three children together, Amy, Sarah, and Lucas, and made their home in Grant Park, where they later blessed to become “Grammy” and “Pops” to six beautiful grandchildren, Charley, Hank, William, Elizabeth, Lucy, and Luca. Her grandchildren were her entire world.

Celeste worked proudly for many years at Bernard Welding in Beecher. She was dedicated to her job and to her work family.

She was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church, where she and Bill raised their family and shared cherished moments with each other, their children, grandchildren, and their church family.

Preceding her in death were her father, Harold Schriefer; and beloved niece, Ericka Lynn Schriefer.

Surviving are her loving husband, Bill Sluis; her mother, Amelia Schriefer; children, Amy (Ray) Isbell, Sarah (Sam) Gray, and Lucas (Rachel) Sluis; grandchildren, Charley and Hank Isbell, William and Elizabeth Gray, and Lucy and Luca Sluis; her siblings, Justin (Rebecca) Schriefer, Greg Schriefer, Matt Schriefer, and Brett Schriefer; her nieces and nephews, Jessica (Randy) Noah and Maddie Dykstra, Justin (Tori) Schriefer, Alyse, and Alexa Schriefer, and Ella Schriefer.

Celeste’s family would like to personally thank the doctors, nurses, and medical teams at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, Rush, MD Anderson in Houston, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital for the caring and kindness of the people who work there gave Celeste while she was going through her treatments. She was treated like family and with the utmost respect and provided the best care they could give. The family would like to thank Dr. Jennifer Mieres for all her love and support and for providing Celeste with the ultimate care. Also, they would like to extend a personal thank you to OS Hawkins, the First United Methodist Church family, Kathie Lee, and all of those who joined in on her prayer chain that reached across the world. It gave her such strength and comfort knowing that so many had her in their hearts and in their prayers.

The family added, “To say that Celeste gave her time would be an understatement. She was entirely selfless. To know her is to love her and she will be dearly missed but will live on through the many lives that she touched.”

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