Local Bear Maker Gives Grieving Residents Something To Hug

BOLINGBROOK, IL — Grief is intangible and accepting the loss of a loved one is a harrowing affair. But, Bolingbrook resident, Elisabeth Puga, said she has figured out a way to bring comfort to those who are grieving by giving them "something tangible to hold and hug."

Puga's youngest child started preschool in 2016, and she started seeking out volunteer opportunities. She found a hospice that was looking for people to sew memory bears for the families they served. Even though she had never heard of these bears before, she jumped at the chance to use her sewing skills and help the community.

"I loved making the bears and soon started making them for others I knew who weren’t associated with the hospice, she said.

This was the beginning of Memory Bears by Elisabeth and by April 2016, Puga had started her own Facebook page. When someone wants to have a memory bear made, they contact her via social media and choose their clothing items or fabrics they want made into a bear. These are either delivered or mailed to her.

"They decide on things like the size of the bear, embroidered name or message on the bear and any specific design requests," she said. "I then make the bear, and they can pick it up or have it mailed back to them."

Since she makes them herself, each bear takes about 3-4 hours and customers can expect to wait for a few days to a few weeks depending on the size of their order and the length of her waiting list. Two sizes of bears are available — 17 and 21 inches — for $75 each.

"I am happy to use multiple clothing items in one bear, incorporate logos, pockets, hearts, and add embroidered messages or names. I am very particular about how I make the bears. I use interfacing to strengthen the fabrics, and I’ve invested in a custom cutting die," Puga said. "While most of the bears I make are memorializing people who have passed away, I also make bears celebrating baby clothing, sports uniforms and schools."

She said she also makes memory pillows ($24-$30), heart-shaped ornaments ($10) and T-shirt blankets ($75-$240).

The Bolingbrook community has been very welcoming, Puga said, and despite the pandemic, her customer base has continued to grow.

"A major challenge I faced (like many other moms) was finding time to work while also taking care of my kids who were home due to COVID-19," she said. "Overall, I've seen business grow, but what that means for me is that I've also seen more people grieving this year, which is hard."

She said she believed remembering those we love is helpful in the grieving process, and her bears are a comforting reminder "of a beautiful person" with whom people have shared good memories.

"A memory bear is a good way to share the memory of our loved one with new generations of your family," Puga said.