Sydne Rutkowski, née Halsten, 72, a longtime Hinsdale resident and faithful member of Christ Church of Oak Brook, passed away peacefully in her home May 17, 2020.
Born in Chicago to Harold and Mildred Halsten, Sydne spent her youth in Milwaukee and brief periods in Puerto Rico and Lisle before marrying Ronald and moving to Hinsdale, where she would live most of her life. Lifelong travelers, Sydne and Ronald enjoyed adventures to China, Norway, Mexico, Poland, Hawaii and many other destinations. But she divided most of her time and heart between the tree-lined streets of Hinsdale; the sunshine of Palm Desert, Calif .; and the lakeside tranquility of Eagle River, Wis., where cherished family memories were made over decades.
Diligent in prayer and wise in counsel, Sydne filled the margins of her Bible to the brim with a lifetime of notes and reflections. She dedicated many weeks of her life to service at Camp Blessing, a Christian family camp in Wisconsin, and the Berean Christian Conference in Grove City, Pa.
A longtime member of the Hinsdale Gourmet Club, Sydne treated family and friends to a broad array of delicious, home-cooked meals and had a passion for nutrition and juicing. She was a lifelong lover of music, and in her teenage years spent a summer singing throughout Europe with her high school glee club.
A shining example of selflessness, compassion and kindness, Sydne cared faithfully for her parents until their deaths at 98 and 99. She took tremendous joy from quality time with her children and grandchildren. Her many friends remember her as an embodiment of the Fruit of the Spirit as found in Scripture: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Her abiding faith was the source of great comfort to her loved ones during her illness and her transition to Heaven surrounded by family.
Sydne is survived by her husband of 35 years, Ronald Rutkowski; her children, Timothy Rutkowski, Gail (Cory) Jansen and Peter (Elizabeth) Celauro; her grandchildren, Jonathan (Kasey) Talarek, Jordan Talarek, Madison Jansen, Emily Jansen, Samuel Jansen, Mitchell Rutkowski, Brett Jansen, Henry Celauro and Charlie Celauro; her brothers, Robert (Pam) Halsten and Rick (Cynthia) Halsten; her nieces, Ashley Halsten and Lauren Halsten; and her nephew, Eric (Anna) Halsten.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Jana (Jim) Talarek.
The family will hold a private interment ceremony at Bronswood Cemetery in Oak Brook.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Christ Church at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Camp Blessing (Wisconsin), c/o Melissa Cannon, 1716 Thorntree Drive, DeSoto, TX 75115; or the under-resourced families served by the Global Mission Partners of Christ Church, with checks made out to Christ Church (Memo: Sydne Rutkowski Memorial Gift), 501 Oak Brook Road, Oak Brook, IL 60523.
Please support the family by signing the online guestbook and tribute page at https://www.sullivanfuneralhomehinsdale.com
Sullivan Funeral Home in Hinsdale handled the arrangements.
