Preoteasa Florica Batu Ichim, 65, wife of Archpriest Dumitru Ichim, PhD, pastor of Saint John the Baptist Church here, fell asleep in the Lord after a 23-year battle with leukemia on Saturday, September 4, 2010.
Born in Bucharest, Romania, the child of Themosticle and Victoria Batu, Preoteasa Florica served alongside Father Dumitru for 36 years. She was widely known for her poetry in Romanian and English, authored 10 books, and had a permanent column in Solia—The Herald, the official publication of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by six children, Thomas, Julian, Gloria, Christopher [Natasha], Matthew, and Christine Victoria, who roller bladed across Canada for Leukemia Research, Julian, Gloria, Christopher (Natasha), and Matthew; two grandchildren, Tara and Tony Dumitru; a sister, sister Cevi “Jenny” Vasilescu [Ion], and three nieces.
Visitation will be held at the Schreiter-Sandrock Funeral Home and Chapel, 51 Benton at Church St. Kitchener, on Tuesday, September 7 from 2:00—4:00 and 7:00—9:00 p.m. and Wednesday, September 8 from from 2:00—4:00 and 7:00—9:00 p.m. Memorials will be celebrated both evenings at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Service will be celebrated at Saint John the Baptist Church, 2150 Bleams Road, Kitchener, on Thursday, September 9 at 11:00 a.m. His Grace, Bishop Irineu of Dearborn Heights will preside. Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.
Donations may be made in her memory to Saint John the Baptist Church by contacting the funeral home at 519—742—4481 or by visiting www.schreitersandrockfuneralhome.com.
May Preoteasa Florica’s memory be eternal!