Alma E. Satorius Lach

Mrs. Alma Elizabeth Satorius Lach (daughter of John H. Satorius and Clara Boeker Satorius), age 99, originally of Petersburg, Illinois, passed away October 21, 2013 at her home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Alma was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Donald F. Lach, of Chicago. She is survived by her only child, Sandra Lach Arlinghaus and son-in-law William Charles Arlinghaus of Ann Arbor, her only grandchild, William Edward Arlinghaus of Meridian, Mississippi, and by her only great-grandchild, David Edward Arlinghaus also of Meridian. Funeral service will be Friday, October 25, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Hurley Funeral Home in Petersburg with the Rev. Dan Roseberry officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to services. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice in Alma's name. Mrs. Lach graduated from Harris High School in Petersburg and later attended the University of Chicago where she met her husband Donald who was a graduate student in history at the time. She and Donald, and their child Sandy traveled extensively in Europe and later the couple traveled all over the world in support of their individual professional interests. Alma was a graduate of the Cordon Bleu in Paris and has been hailed by some online as the greatest Chef of the 20th century. She enjoyed planning and implementing elaborate cooking events for family and friends. To be entertained by her was something people talked about for some time after the event; she enriched many lives in this way and in numerous others. She served the culinary world in interesting and varied ways, including but not limited to, publishing books (listed below), running a culinary business (Alma Lach, Inc.), as Food Editor of the Chicago Sun-Times where she also became a professional photographer in order to make the most of food photographs, as consultant to Lettuce Entertain You, as an original member of Les Dames d’Escoffier in Chicago, as judge of cooking contests, and as creator of an early cooking show for children aired on WTTW from the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. She won a number of awards related to her vast array of culinary talents, including, Winner of the Pillsbury Bake-Off (Food Editor version), knighted in a robed ceremony at the Clos de Vougeot in France as a ‘Chevalier du Tastevin, member of Chaine des Rotisseurs, member of the Legion d’Honneur of France, and her most recent award as a Dame of Distinction, from the Les Dames d’Escoffier chapter in Chicago. She was also an inventor and holds two patents, one on a ‘Curly Dog Cutting Board’ and another on a ‘Walker Tray.’ Mrs. Lach was a member of the Quadrangle Club (Chicago) and of the Ann Arbor City Club. In recent years, as her capability to stand in the kitchen diminished, she learned to use a computer. She became adept with a variety of software packages, particularly with Adobe PhotoShop where she drew heavily on her background as a professional photographer. She developed a technique to scan flowers and made beautiful cards and wall hangings from her efforts. Her work has hung in juried art competitions in Chicago (at the former Tavern Club) and in Ann Arbor (in the Public Library). She has also donated wall-sized floral images to the Cardiovascular Center at The University of Michigan where they hang in a ‘Consult Room.’ Many of the wonderful medical support staff of The University of Michigan Health Care System referred to her as “The Card Lady” and hung her cards on their computers rather than mailing them to others. Her family expresses their greatest appreciation to Dr. Jennifer Lukela and Dr. Kim Eagle both of The University of Michigan who provided outstanding medical care to her and made the last years of her life of fine quality. She has touched many lives in a great many ways and had an extensive network of friends in Chicago and Ann Arbor as well as around the world. She will be greatly missed. Website: http://www.almalach.com List of Publications (some remain available online at Lulu.com; others available through Amazon.com, mostly as used books). • Hows and Whys of French Cooking (with Foreword by Andre Simon), originally published by the University of Chicago Press, 1974 with a later reprint from Castle Books, 1998. • Cooking a la Cordon Bleu, 1970 University of Chicago Press; • Alma's Almanac--favorite recipes, menus, advice, and food features • The Dodo: “His Story.” • Dodo’s Coloring Book • Candlelight Cookbook, 1959 • Let's Cook, 1956 • The Campbell Kids at Home, 1953 Rand McNally • The Campbell Kids Have a Party, 1953 Rand McNally • A Child's First Cook Book,1950; featured in Life Magazine and elsewhere at the time. Wikipedia makes reference to her ‘Candle Salad’ from this book. • Chicago Sun-Times, numerous features, regular columns, regular Thursday full section • Children’s Activities Magazine, regular columnist