Obituary of Helen R. Bomkamp

Helen R. Bomkamp, “Rosie”, of Round Lake Beach, IL -formerly of Libertyville, IL- passed away quietly from an ongoing illness on March 28, 2023. She was 75. She is preceded in death by her parents Richard and Marion Bomkamp and brothers Tom, Steve, David, and Robert.

She is survived by her five children Steve (Lory), Cliff, Claudia, Tony (Angela) and Mark. She was immensely proud of her children. She dearly loved her grandchildren Travis, Sydney, Ava, Shelby, and Stevie. She is further survived by siblings Ed, Cathy (Joe), Danny, Marie (Jim), Andy (Sheri), numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, and many, many friends.

Her worldly burden was heavy but by her faith in God, she overcame every trial she faced; notably she raised her five children largely on her own. For nearly 20 years she was a facilitator for Phoenix- a divorce support group open to all who suffer from the devastating effects of divorce and the hardship of single-parenting. She shared her own story with many and served as a beacon of hope to the defeated. She suffered with declining health in her final years but by the grace of God and her will to live, she cheated death -several times miraculously- and mustered the strength to endure.

She was intelligent, creative, and talented. She had an irresistible laugh. She was exceptionally accomplished. She was a computer programmer for nearly 30 years at Medline Industries. She was an avid reader and learner. She enjoyed painting, jewelry making, scrapbooking and various other creative endeavors. She was an accomplished baker and cake decorator. She taught cake decorating workshops and classes for many years. She showed her love by making many cakes as gifts celebrating weddings, birthdays, and other special occasions - all from scratch; all lovingly hand decorated by her.

Her greatest personal passion in recent years was quilting. She was a very active member and past president of the Lake County Quilt Guild and Quilts of Valor- an organization devoted to helping veterans who served in combat. She made many quilts not only for veterans, but most personally for her family and friends. Quilting is a labor of love, and if you received a handmade quilt from her, you were assured that she loved you very deeply.

In addition to her family, friends, and creative pursuits, she deeply loved cats- especially her big tomcat “Yeti”, butterflies, flowers, gardening, and the beauty of the natural world. She was very involved with her church and spent many hours making Rosaries for soldiers serving in combat. She was a patron of many charities and organizations including her church and various other religious charities, the Chicago Botanical Garden, Quilts of Valor, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Audubon Society, the National Parks Foundation, the Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, and many, many others.

Her authenticity, honesty, and strength are renowned by those who knew her. She appreciated people for who they were, not by their possessions or social status. Free of pain and earthly troubles, her inner light shines brightly through the hearts of those she loved. She was a true success- a true hero. She will be forever loved, treasured, and deeply missed by the many who saw her light.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Quilts of Valor, the Lake County Quilt Guild, the ASPCA, the Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, or her church. A funeral mass will be held on April 29th at 9:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church Round Lake, IL. Interment will occur privately.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”- John 1:5