Theodora Bach

Theodora “Tippy" Bach of Morton, IL and formerly of Carbondale, passed away, Thursday, April 18, 2019 in Apostolic Christian Restmore in Morton. Theodora “Tippy” Bach was born Theodora Josephine Helgeson on a farm in Soldiers Grove, a small village in rural Wisconsin, on October 16, 1918 to Norwegian-American parents, and was raised speaking Norse as her primary language during the first six years of her life. Always an honors student, she worked her way through LaCrosse State Teachers College. Active as a thespian, she met her husband of 68 years, Jacob Sr., in the school’s theater company production of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. She carried her love of acting and great literature throughout her life, attending Shakespeare productions in London, Ontario, and San Diego. She continued to perform in community theatre well into retirement, including the lead roles in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Foxfire”. Following graduation, she married Jake in 1942 in the middle of WWII. With her husband away fighting in the Pacific, she had to fend for herself as a young Navy wife at the huge naval base at Norfolk. Like “Rosie the Riveter”, she worked the “graveyard shift” in a defense plant. Taking in a younger Navy wife as a “roomer” may have helped Tippy conceive and execute the small business plan she launched in Madison, WI. With Jake working on his PhD at the University of Wisconsin after the war, she saw an opportunity to provide returning vets a safe place to live and study as they worked their way through school by retrofitting and furnishing a large house near campus to serve as a boarding home. Working solo at a time when few women were starting businesses, she presented her plan to the bank and negotiated the loan by herself, then housed 10 ex-servicemen going to school on the GI Bill—even as she cared for her growing family and Jake’s parents. In 1951, Tippy and Jake moved to Carbondale, Illinois where she continued to raise her family. She earned a Master’s degree in Speech Pathology from SIU-C in 1961. During the next two years, she commuted to three different grade schools in Du Quoin, IL, helping children with speech defects as a district-wide Speech Pathologist. In 1964, she took a job as an English teacher at CCHS in Carbondale and coached the speech and debate teams, regularly taking her students to state finalist competitions. Poetry called her as well—both in inspiring students and friends and in the art of reflecting on life’s experiences and meanings. She wrote for publication, but also for herself. She was active in the Garden Club and served as a life-long member of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. When Tippy retired from teaching, she attended an advanced course of Floral Design in Chicago and took charge of altar flower arrangements for most Sundays and did weddings and charity occasions as well. Early into their retirement, the Bach’s caravanned in Mexico and toured the U.S. in their motorhomes. They also traveled extensively together throughout the European continent and made trips to Hawaii, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Japan, the Panama Canal and Belize. Tippy was a life-long Lutheran, leading during a mission church startup and later multi-church consolidation. She held congregational offices and preached when needed. She was a stalwart supporter of WELCA, (Women in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America). Tippy was known for both elaborate and ethnic entertaining, Norwegian pastries, distinctive split pea soup, and fantastic apple pies that were sold at church auctions for $50/pie. Tippy is survived by three children, six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and a large extended family of nieces and nephews. She has been an inspiration to many as a mother, teacher, poet, coach and a friend and mentor to countless others. She went to our Lord on Maundy Thursday during Holy Week at the ripe old age of 100 years, six months, and two days. We will all miss her. Funeral Service for Tippy will be in Epiphany Lutheran Church on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 11:00 am with Rev. Paul Waterman officiating. Entombment will follow in Pleasant Grove Memorial Park Mausoleum. Visitation will be from 5pm to 8pm on Monday, April 29, 2019 in Crain Pleasant Grove-Murdale Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to WELCA (Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) in care of Epiphany Lutheran Church of All Saints, 1501 W. Chautauqua St., Carbondale, IL 62901 and/or The Women's Shelter, 610 S. Thompson St., Carbondale, IL 62901.

Theodora Bach

October 16, 1918 - April 18, 2019