Mary Helen Bronder

1938 - 2024

Mary Helen O’Donnell Bronder, age 85, passed away unexpectedly at her home in Lake in the Hills, IL on Friday, February 2, 2024. She was born in Baraboo, Wisconsin on October 31, 1938, to the late Thomas and Helen Neumaier O’Donnell. She graduated from Prairie du Sac High School, class of 1957. She was united in marriage to Thomas Bronder on June 13, 1964; he preceded her in death on March 8, 2006.

Mary attended the University of Wisconsin and later graduated with a BSN degree from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She worked at St Mary’s Hospital in Madison, WI as a Neuroscience Nurse for many years. In 2005, she moved with her husband Tom, to Lake in the Hills, IL to be closer to their children. 

In 2007, Mary was blessed with her first grandchild, McKenzie.  She continued to work as a floater nurse at Mercy Clinics in the McHenry County area until retiring in 2012, after the next grandchild, Aaron, was born. On her favorite Irish holiday in 2014, St. Patrick’s Day, her granddaughter, Isabella was born. As usual in the O’Donnell family, St. Patrick’s Day was always celebrated.

Mary enjoyed gardening, sewing, riding her bike, and hiking any nature trail she could find. She loved to watch the Chicago sports teams. Mary’s favorite was her beloved Chicago Cubs. She enjoyed going to games with her husband, children, and their families as well as cheering them on at home on TV. 

She is survived by her sister Sharon (Bernard) Uselman of Roxbury, WI; brother Thomas (Marilyn) O’Donnell, of Prairie du Sac, WI; brother Michael (Jane) O’Donnell, of Sauk City, WI; brother Bernard (Lois) O’Donnell, brother Patrick (Margie) O’Donnell of Sauk City, WI, sister-in-law Barbara (Carl, deceased) Bronder of Niles, IL.

She is also survived by her daughter, Helen Bronder (Rob Gass) and their son, Aaron Gass of Chicago, IL; son, Charles “Chuck”(Amy) Bronder and their daughter McKenzie Bronder, of Mt. Prospect IL ; son, Timothy Bronder of Eau Claire, WI; daughter, Susan Bronder (Lambros Tragas), and their daughter, Isabella Tragas, of Chicago, IL, and her beloved cat, Tornado.

She was proceeded in death by her mother and father, Helen and Thomas O’Donnell, her beloved husband, Thomas Bronder; her in-laws, Charles and Doris Peszynski Bronder, her brother-in-law, Carl (Barbara) Bronder, and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jack and Patricia Condon.

Visitation Friday February 9, 2024 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Skaja Terrace Funeral Home 7812 N. Milwaukee Ave. Niles, IL.  Funeral Services Saturday February 10, 2024 10:15 AM to St. John Brebeuf Church for 11:00 AM Mass.

As per Mary’s wishes, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation or St. Mary Catholic Church of Huntley, Illinois.