Aleatha Hope Mueller

Aleatha Hope Ames Mueller, of St. George Village, Roswell, GA, passed away peacefully October 30, 2012, two weeks before her 91st birthday. Mother of 12, grandmother of 36 and great-grandmother of 31, Aleatha was an original member of La Leche League International, which was begun by friends in her neighborhood of Franklin Park, IL in 1956. She is cited twice (as Lee Mueller) in the League’s current The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding Seventh Revised Edition. Aleatha lived a life dedicated to her husband of 55 years, Richard (deceased), her 12 children, all of whom survive her, and her Catholic faith, which she sought out, studied and embraced, being both baptized and confirmed in the faith on November 6, 1943 and receiving her First Holy Communion the following day. One week later she married Richard Mueller at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, IL. Over the years, she was active in the Christian Family Movement, and in numerous Bible study and prayer groups. In fact, Aleatha engaged most with the world from her study at home, where, unnoticed by the world, her life of daily prayer and adoration bettered the lives of countless family, friends, acquaintances and unknowns. She was an active member of St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church. Aleatha Hope Ames was born an only child to Leigh Willis Ames and Edith Wedmore Watrous Nov 12, 1921 in Hartford, CT. She understood her father to have died of influenza the following year. Not long after, Edith brought Aleatha to the Chicago area, and raised her in the precarious circumstances of a single mother. As was not unusual in those days, Aleatha spent some time in a children’s home—in her case the German Evangelical Orphanage and Home for the Aged in Bensenville, IL--as her mother sought work and lodging for both. Edith Watrous married Jack Kalus of Chicago, where the two provided Aleatha at last a constant, two-worker home throughout the Great Depression. In 1939 she graduated from Farragut High School, and in 1941 from Herzl Junior College, both in Chicago. Aleatha is survived by all 12 of her children: Laurel Wanat (Raymond) of Fall River Mills, CA, Patricia Nischan (Jarl) of Lansing, MI, Richard Mueller (Linda) of Warner, NH, Paul Mueller (Sage) of Box Elder, SD, Mary Jensen of Elgin, IL, John Mueller (Linda Mallon) of Washington, DC, Mark Mueller (Georgie Donovan) of Boone, NC, Therese Caples (Michael) of Walnut Creek, CA, Judith Ruhling (Jay) of Woodstock, GA, Janet Forero (Ric) of Bethlehem, PA, Catherine Beyer (Ken) of Phoenix, AZ, James Mueller (Cathy), Pensacola, FL, 36 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren. Aleatha is predeceased by her husband, Richard, her half-brother, Bradford Alden Ames, and two grandsons, James and John Wanat. Visitation is Monday, November 5, 7-9pm at Northside Chapel Funeral Directors, 12050 Crabapple Rd, Roswell, GA 30075, 770-645-1414, www.northsidechapel.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made either to St Francis of Assisi Parish, 37464 Juniper Ave., PO Box 160, Burney, CA 96013, 530-335-2372, http://www.stfrancisburney.org/ in memory of Aleatha Mueller and her grandsons James and John Wanat, or to a charity whose work Aleatha championed: Catholic Relief Services http://www.crs.org/donate/ or both. A Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, November 6, 10:30am at St Peter Chanel Catholic Church, 11330 Woodstock Road, Roswell, GA 30075, 678-277-9424, www.stpeterchanel.org.

Aleatha Hope Mueller

November 12, 1921 - October 30, 2012