Shirley Gulitz, of Yorktown, Dies at 84

The following was submitted by Yorktown resident Fred Gulitz:

Shirley Gulitz died peacefully in her home on Monday, July 9. She was age 84. Gulitz was predeceased by her husband Lou in 1999.

She is survived by her three children; Lester (Zita) Gulitz, Fred (Lynne) Gulitz and Ellen (Larry Kahn). She is survived by her eight grandchildren; Kelly Gulitz, Shannon (Michael) Bonenfant, Michael (Stacy) Peterson, Kyle Gulitz, Joelle (Jason) Diesman, Marc Gulitz, Brian (Alicia) Peterson, and Jennifer Gulitz. She is also survived by five great-grandchildren – Owen Peterson, Michael, Sawyer and Nathan Bonenfant and Courtney Diesman.

Gulitz and her husband Lou were original founding members of the . She lived in Yorktown from 1958 until moving to Florida with her husband in 1989. While living in Yorktown, Shirley provided babysitting and child care services to many Yorktowners at little to no cost. Watching children for free or as little as a dime an hour so that the parents could go to work and earn a living for their families. 

The following is Fred Gulitz's tribute to his mother: 

My mom passed away peacefully Monday morning (July 9, 2012). My sister Ellen and brother Lester were with my mom throughout her journey. It was late in the evening Sunday night and I had just requested that Lester go home and get some rest. I said I would call him if anything changed during the night. I asked my sister Ellen to also get some much need rest as she had been providing round the clock nursing care for her for the past few days. Ellen was my mother’s guardian angel since my father died back in 1999; often flying to Florida to look after her when her health turned bad. As I said Lester had just left and Ellen needed to lie down so she went to her old room to catch some much needed rest. My daughter Jennifer and son Kyle were with me but I insisted that they get some rest too. My wife Lynne had Jennifer join her in our bed so she could get some sleep. Lynne knew I had to be alone with mom and respected my wishes.

I laid in bed with mom and took her head and put my arm under it for support. My legs were touching hers and I caressed her face telling her that her journey was to begin. I told her the beautiful things she would experience on her journey. She continued with her mantra of breathing. First a sigh of air, followed by silence and then a gasp for breath. I then removed myself from her side. I stood up and told her it was time to go. That’s when I felt my dad’s presence. I felt his arm around me and was enveloped in love. That love embraced me and proceeded to envelope her. She then settled into a more peaceful rhythm of breathing. Breathing in and breathing out; no gasping for breath. Each breath being let out a bit longer. I watched her chest move up and down counting down each movement and knowing that it was only a matter of moments. I suddenly felt her soul move through me and join with my dad and then it was over. They were together again. 

I am so glad my mom passed away in the house she called home. What a beautiful moment for me. I awoke my sister first and in then in the following order, Lynne, Jennifer and Kyle. My sister Ellen took out her stethoscope listened for her heartbeat and found none. Then she embraced Lynne, me, Kyle and Jen and we hugged and kissed each other. No crying (we cried earlier) just joy. We exchanged some stories about what we felt and then we proceeded to do what we had to; notify the police to come without lights and sirens, a paramedic because he had to legally declare her dead. I tried calling and waking my brother Les about 20 times but he was exhausted and didn’t get the message until about 6 AM that morning. She had passed away at exactly 1:27 AM. The police came as did the paramedic. The paramedic called his boss who in turn called the Westchester Medical Examiner’s Office.

While they were doing that I phoned the physician, David Weiss, MD who is also my primary care physician. Dr. Weiss agreed to take over my mom’s care when I brought her down from Rhode Island Hospital where she had been for too long a time. Who knew that that Friday evening when he greeted her it would be the last time he would administer his duties under the Hippocratic oath he took so long ago. David is like my rabbi. He is more than a doctor. It was if he had been sitting by the phone waiting for my call. He picked it up on the first ring and knew it was me. When Lynne and I had brought my mother to meet him for the first time that Friday evening he hugged and embraced her and said that he would do whatever she wished. She told him that she was tired of suffering and wanted to go to sleep. Nothing more, just to go to sleep. He said he would see that she would be cared for and then came over hugged Lynne and I and said that he would order the medications to help her sleep.

Additional medication was phoned into CVS late Saturday evening just before the store in Yorktown closed. I am so thankful that the pharmacist and staff knew that their services would be needed to help my mother in her time of need. It was as if a Devine plan had been put in place and all the key players were working together to help my mother. My sister who is a RN administered the medication through my mom’s final journey. On schedule, dosing as prescribed every six hours and then doing every three hours as her breathing became labored. Because we did not have a DNR from New York State we had to let the police and paramedics follow their procedures.

The policeman that came to the house happened to be a friend of my son. The paramedic contacted his boss prior to putting a heart monitor on her person to legally record her time of death. Dr. Weiss explained to both the policeman and the paramedic that she was under his care and wished for a DNR. All now was done except for the transport to the funeral home which was handled by Clark’s Funeral Home. My friend Bill came over with his hearse and both he, I, Ellen and Kyle prepared her for the ride to the funeral home. My mom was cremated as per her final wishes without fanfare and public display of her remains. She got her wish. She is now reunited with my father. 

I would like to acknowledge a few people that made her final journey peaceful and possible. Other than family members who were always there, as it should be, my guardian angel Lois Lechleitner, who provided comfort and medical attention to my mother. My wife Lynne’s family members that came by to sit with mom because she was their mom too. My neighbors, especially the Irelands, who are family to us. The staff at CVS in Yorktown, who helped us with all our needs. The hospice organization at Phelps Memorial Hospital, who provided comfort and guidance when we needed it most. The Yorktown Police Department and Paramedics who do their jobs day in and day out with dignity and professionalism. Bill LaPierre and the staff at Clark’s Funeral Home for their caring and support given to my family. David Weiss, MD and his staff at Westchester Health for the love and care they showed my mother in her final days.