Carla Mullendore Dehmlow

1927 - 2020

Carla Mullendore Dehmlow, a 20-year resident of Glenview, IL, and who raised her family in Wilmette, IL, died of complications from cancer on May 13, 2020.



Carla was born on April 4, 1927 in Los Angeles and was the younger daughter of Esther and William Mullendore. She graduated from the Marlborough School in Los Angeles and the University of Michigan. It was in Ann Arbor that Carla met and married Louis H.T. Dehmlow III. Louis loved to tell the story that before the end of their blind date, he knew Carla, an intelligent, principled, radiant lady, was the woman he would marry.

Carla and Louis were a remarkable couple who worked closely together for over 30 years, until they retired in 1996. They raised their family traditionally but as her children spent their days in school, Carla became a vital contributor to the Dehmlow family business which began as Great Lakes Solvents in Chicago. Louis had a vision for the distribution business that would become today's Composites One LLC, a global leader in composites materials. Carla was Louis' sounding board. She also had an extraordinary ability to make wise decisions and helped make the company a highly desirable place to work. She was an early adopter of the 401(k) plan and innovatively coupled it with a robust profit-sharing program. Louis' and Carla's legacy is a business that continues to value its hundreds of employees and share its success with them.

In retirement, Carla was an exceptionally active volunteer, generous with both her time and money. She remained a loving parent and grandparent who provided a wonderful example of self-reliance and intellectual discipline.

Carla is preceded in death by her husband, Louis, her parents, and her sister, Barbara Calvert. She is survived by her three children, Christine Smith (David), Nancy Dehmlow and Steven Dehmlow (Shirley) and seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations appreciated to the North Shore Senior Center in Northfield IL (www.nssc.org) or the charity of your choice.