Funeral services for 3 Highland Park shooting victims to be held Friday

Household and associates are gathering collectively to honor Jacquelyn Sundheim, Stephen Straus and Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza.

“You recognize what I really feel? Grief. Grief for all of us, grief for highland park, America,” Lynn Weitz mentioned.

Providers for 63-year-old Jacquelyn Lovi Sundheim started at 11 a.m. at North Shore Congregation Israel, situated at 1185 Sheridan Street in Glencoe.

“Immediately, we’ll grieve collectively, and we’ll mourn collectively. However we can even be thankful for having shared in Jacki’s life together with her,” mentioned Wendi Geffen, senior rabbi at North Shore Congregation Israel. “She cherished to have a good time. She gave nice hugs. She had a tremendous smile; she was fiercely protecting and he or she was no one’s pushover.”

Sundheim was a former college trainer and a devoted congregant and employee at her synagogue.

“Jacki’s life was not lengthy sufficient. There may be an incalculable listing of all of the ought to have beens. We’ll by no means be capable of tally it. Her life was stunning,” Geffen mentioned.

Providers for 88-year-old Stephen Straus happened at 12:30 p.m. at Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, situated at 303 Dodge Ave. in Evanston.

“He was simply an extremely, I imply unusually candy and sort particular person. At all times interested by what you have been as much as and simply cherished to share in who you have been and what you probably did,” his son Jonathan Straus mentioned. “Each time you noticed him, it doesn’t matter what was taking place in his day, he all the time had this heat smile, and all the time greeted you warmly and was all the time actually, actually simply to his core a candy, beneficiant particular person.”

Straus was a beloved grandfather. His household mentioned he might typically be discovered having fun with the Artwork Institute. He cherished life and was lively, taking the Metra downtown for work or using his bike.

His household mentioned he was all the time excited about others first.

Jonathan Straus mentioned he is aware of his dad had a number of extra good years nonetheless left in him.

Funeral providers for 78-year-old Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza will happen from 5-8 p.m. at Iglesia Emanuel, situated at 1300 W tenth St. in Waukegan.

Dr. Keely Roberts, Zion college superintendent, twin sons amongst these shot at Highland Park parade

Toledo-Zaragoza was retired and residing in Mexico. He was within the space visiting household when he was killed.

He was sitting in his wheelchair between his son and nephew when he was shot a number of occasions.

His son and a household pal have been additionally shot, however survived.

Toledo-Zaragoza’s physique shall be taken to his hometown in Mexico for his ultimate resting place.

He leaves behind his kids, grandchildren, and, his household mentioned, many shut associates.

Considered one of them is a girl who works at a Highland Park Starbucks, who mentioned she got here to present her assist to her associates, who’re grandchildren of Toledo.

That is the second sufferer’s funeral Jaleeza Moncivaiz has attended, and mentioned, regardless of not marching within the parade together with her daughters like she deliberate, she knew three individuals who have been shot and killed.

Moncivaiz mentioned her journey to assist the victims, which incorporates Starbucks donating espresso to the Toledo-Zaragoza household, is only a small effort she needed to supply.

“It is really a really traumatic and unthought of expertise,” she mentioned. “It isn’t straightforward to undergo what we have now gone via and to maintain supplying for the neighborhood. That is what retains me going.”

Alan Castillo was with Toledo-Zaragoza on the parade. He was shot within the again when the gunfire erupted.

“I hit the ground. I am like, ‘I acquired hit, I acquired hit.’ That is what I used to be yelling at my girlfriend,” Castillo mentioned. “I really feel very fortunate and unfortunate to be going via this.”

In the meantime, memorials proceed to develop close to the capturing scene because the neighborhood is pulling collectively to assist one another heal.

A big crowd gathered Thursday evening for a transferring candlelight vigil in Sundown Park.

“This can be a totally different sort of grief; this can be a traumatic grief that most individuals by no means expertise,” mentioned Linda Davis, who witnessed the capturing Monday.

‘Sufficient’: Grief and outrage converge at vigil for Highland Park capturing victims

“It is simply devastating to see my neighborhood should undergo this ache,” mentioned Jordana Hozman, vigil co-organizer and member of North Shore March for our Lives.

Residents shared tales of being on the parade when gunshots rang out on July Fourth, and so they ran for his or her lives.

Highland Park capturing victims remembered for kindness, heat

Residents and companies in Highland Park are attempting to rally collectively and assist each other as a lot as they will.