Elizabeth Glah of West Chester

Elizabeth Glah, 88, passed away on Oct. 31, 2014, in her West Chester, Pa. home surrounded by her loving family.

It was with comfort and peace that Elizabeth left this world to rejoin her husband Bill, her children Betsy and Michael, and grandchild Paul in the splendor of God’s love that she knew awaited her.

Elizabeth took great pride in and drew tremendous joy from her large family.

Eleven children, Mary Gillin (Ed), Bill Glah (Marge), Caryle Glah (Per Kristian), Jim Glah (Karen), John Glah (Beth), Tom Glah (Debbie), Joe Glah, Jeanne Glah, Rose King (Bill), Ken Glah, Karen Maher (Tim); 42 grandchildren; and 45 great-grandchildren are mourning the loss of her spunky, witty and wise character.

They will tell her stories for years and generations to come. They will share the many “Don’t Tell Mom” moments, which she was surely too savvy to have missed and too calculated to have mentioned. They will love their own children in the unconditional ways she taught them to love.

Besides the stores of love and kindness that Elizabeth had for her family, she also extended her heart to other families, becoming a surrogate mother, grandmother, and sponsor to numerous refugee families through the Vietnamese refugee resettlement program. She was an active member of Ss. Simon and Jude Church and a good friend to many.

A Philadelphia native and graduate from Saint Joseph’s School of Nursing, Elizabeth traveled the world, never missed a birthday or a baptism, and watched every game her beloved Phillies played. Although by the end most of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren towered over her, it is her great strength, bravery and love that have left such a mark on this world.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Ss. Simon and Jude Church, 6 Cavanaugh Court, West Chester, Pa. on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. The family will be there to greet relatives and friends for visitation prior to the funeral from 9:30-10:45 a.m.

Memorial donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Road, Suite 200 Bethesda, Md. 20814, and/ or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 26 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10004.

Arrangements: The Donohue Funeral Home, 1627 West Chester Pike, West Chester, PA (610) 431-9000, Online Condolences: www.donohuefuneralhome.com.