Glenn and Irma Chelius of Dunedin were inseparable. They had been together since they were teenagers, and this weekend they took that closeness to its end when both died within days of each other.
Irma Chelius died Saturday. Glenn Chelius died Monday.
The couple's daughter, Susan Dillon, tearfully recounted the bittersweet story of her parents' final days:
"Every day is a gift when you get to that age," she said. "Dad was Mom's caretaker because she has been legally blind and almost deaf for many years. Even though he was diagnosed with bladder cancer about a year ago and was under the care of hospice, he took wonderful care of her.
"Their greatest fear, especially Dad's, was that no one would be here to take care of Mom (when he died). She always said that she would pray to go first. And darned if that didn't happen. I don't know how they did it. I'm hurting, but it's absolutely beautiful - a miracle . . . " Her voice trailed off.
Married for 68 years, they were devoted to each other and their faith. In fact, they met in church.
As teenagers in Chicago, each was involved in the youth program at their separate churches. The two churches eventually merged into one, St. Luke Lutheran Church, and the two were sweethearts from that moment on.
They dated seven years before they married. Both of them had jobs and were major supporters of their families during the Great Depression.
But when the time was right, the young lovers tied the knot in May 1936 and were inseparable ever since.
The Cheliuses came to Dunedin in 1979 from Palatine, Ill., after he retired as a salesman. He worked for New York Life Insurance, Key Lex Manufacturing and Northwestern Railroad, all in Chicago. She was a homemaker and also worked as an accountant for Universal Oil Products. During World War II he served in the Army's 3rd Armored Division.
In 1979 the couple moved to Dunedin from Palatine, and their daughter came down the following year.
"Actually we all planned to settle here together, but they beat me down because we didn't sell our house as fast as them," she said.
To celebrate their 68th anniversary three months ago, their daughter and her husband, Chuck Dillon of Clearwater, went with them to dinner to celebrate along with the Dillons' son, Bob, and his wife, Judy, of Palatine, Ill.
The Cheliuses lived in Westwind II Mobile Home Park until they moved 21/2 years ago into an assisted living facility in Dunedin. While in Westwind, they were active in the Golden Plus Club.
The couple were charter members of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Dunedin, and later Faith Covenant Community Church, Palm Harbor.
"I couldn't have asked for better parents. They loved each other, their family, their church. They were wonderful role models for us. The grandkids adored them," Susan Dillon said.
When 92-year-old Irma Chelius fell about a week and a half ago, her husband, himself 94 and ill, tried to catch her but also fell down. While he was not injured, Irma Chelius fractured a vertebrae and had to be sent to the hospital and then to a rehab facility. Even then, he continued to care for her until she died on Saturday.
The memorial service will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Faith Covenant Community Church, 1912 Nebraska Ave, Palm Harbor. Curlew Hills Funeral Home, Palm Harbor, is in charge of arrangements.
