Arlington Hts. wife, mother loses battle with cancer

The weekend before Thanksgiving, 37-year-old Kara Landeweer's friends and family helped her celebrate one last Christmas.

Colleagues of her husband, Mike, a Mount Prospect police officer, and Mount Prospect firefighters arrived at the Landeweers' Arlington Heights home. They arrived in police and fire vehicles bearing gifts for their children, Alexis, 2, and Ryan, 6, and stepdaughter Katie, 17. One police officer dressed up as Santa Claus.

It did turn out to be Kara Landeweer's last Christmas. She died Friday morning at home, her life claimed by a brain tumor.

"She put up the fight of her life," said her friend Elke Kadzielawski. "She gave it her all. She held on for as long as she possibly could."

Kadzielawski said Landeweer, who was receiving hospice care at home, had good days and bad days toward the end.

"One day seemed to be doing fantastic, but then the next day it was downhill," she said.

Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19 at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central Road, Mount Prospect.

The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday at The Orchard Evangelical Free Church, 1330 N. Douglas Ave., Arlington Heights. Internment will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery.

During her last days, Landeweer was confined to her bed. She couldn't communicate verbally, but could relay her thoughts by signaling with her hands and eyes.

"Mike understood what Kara was trying to say," Kadzielawski said.

Family members repeatedly showed her the video of the November Christmas celebration.

"Mike never left her side. He loved his wife unconditionally. He took care of her with all that he had," Kadzielawski said. "A part of him died when Kara passed."

In lieu of flowers, a fund for the Landeweer children has been set up. For more information, call (847) 255-7800 or visit www.FriedrichsFH.com.

Kadzielawski said friends and family intend to hold a fundraiser for the children's fund in March or April at the Buffalo Grove Golf Club, 48 Raupp Blvd.