Christine Sammel

Helen Christine Sammel (Christine), age 76, passed away peacefully November 16, 2024. She is survived by her husband, William (Bill) Braun, daughter Ellie (Glen) Pearl, siblings Fred Sammel (Doris Shandell), Jane (Don) Misch, Belle Bulwinkle (Michael Dukes), her twin, Ann (Wes) Bates, brother-in-law Ray (Carol) Braun, nieces Holly Fairbairn, Kari (Ryan) Dietsch, nephews Andrew Fairbairn (Rachel Lubanowski), Justin (Heidi) Bates, Peter Braun and Steven Braun, six great nephews and nieces, as well as a host of loving friends. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Christine was born in Chambersburg PA to John F. Sammel, Sr. and Mary Christine Sammel, nee Zehner. She grew up with her family and siblings in Cumberland MD.  Christine graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Speech and Drama. She received her paralegal certification and MBA from Roosevelt University in Chicago. Christine then embarked on a successful career path, breaking barriers as the first female professional in her law firm, rising to practice manager.  After a short stint at Continental Bank, she took on the role of senior project manager in the Legal Support group of a Chicago based accounting firm, where she tackled complex cases, including large class action suit administration, with precision and dedication.

Christine married Bill in a ceremony at St. Augustine's Church in Wilmette, IL in 1995 and dear Ellie joined them in 1997. When managing rheumatoid arthritis began to occupy more and more of her days, she decided to leave her career to focus on raising Ellie. However, she still managed to find time for her passions for sailing and artistic pursuits.  She tried her hands at various mediums until falling in love with clay.  Her ceramics works were accepted by an artists cooperative gallery in Michigan where her artwork is featured and where she has become active in the administration of the gallery.  She also pursued her lifetime dream of architecture and design by taking every architectural/drafting course available at Oakton Community College, using those skills to design a major renovation and expansion of her home in Evanston, several design concepts for siblings and friends and her ultimate achievement, her and Bill's beloved beach cottage on the Western Shore of Michigan, where she oversaw every design detail from concept to completion. 

Her volunteer work, including many roles at St. Augustine's over the years, her love of entertaining friends at dinner parties, her interest in reading non-fiction and her strong opinions on a variety of subjects rounded out a very rich, joyful and active life. She encouraged those around her to reach for the stars and faced every challenge with grit and determination. She could always be counted on for celebrations of accomplishments, words of encouragement, and for reminders to tackle problems head-on.

To honor her remarkable life, a memorial service for Christine will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, 1140 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette.  A reception will follow in the church hall.  Family and friends will be invited to join in commemorating Christine's life and legacy, celebrating her enduring spirit and the impact she made on those fortunate enough to have known her.  For those that are unable to attend in person, Christine's memorial service will be live streamed via Zoom.  Please click here to watch the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Christine's memory to the following charities either online by clicking the highlighted link or mailing a check to the indicated address: Summer of a Lifetime, (checks by mail should be made payable to Noble Schools, Attn:  Summer of a Lifetime, 1 N. State St. Floor 6, Chicago, IL 60602), Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA), 1005 N. Glebe Road, Suite 220, Arlington, VA 22201 or the Arthritis Foundation, 205 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60601.