Mary Ann T Wendorff

Mary Ann Wendorff, 85, a devoted mother, wife, grandmother and passionate animal/nature lover, passed away peacefully at Terra Vista Memory Care Center on May 7, 2025.

Beloved wife of Robert Wendorff, who preceded her in death, loving father of Brian Wendorff and Kenneth Wendorff (Laura Magnavite), devoted grandmother of Graham and Aubrey. She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Elizabeth Riverdahl.

Mary Ann was born in Rockford to Walter and Elizabeth Riverdahl. She graduated from East High School in 1958 and attended Northern Illinois University. At NIU, she met her college sweetheart Robert Wendorff, and they married in June of 1961. They moved to Lombard and lived there until 1966 when they moved to Villa Park, where they would raise their family.

Mary Ann was well known for her artistic skills and detailed paintings of wildlife. She started by doing posters and programs for plays through her formative school years. Later, her artwork was displayed at the Burpee Art Gallery in Rockford. She would travel to Chicago and the suburbs to display her work at various Art Fairs. One of her favorite shows was the annual Little Red Schoolhouse Art Fair in Willow Springs because she loved being surrounded by nature.

Mary Ann was an elementary school teacher in both Rockford and Bensenville, but she put her career on hold to raise her children. In 1985, she returned to work at the Villa Park Public Library in the Youth Services Department. She worked in circulation, but spent even more time as an artist designing three-dimensional interactive displays to help encourage children's involvement in reading programs. It wasn't uncommon to find her climbing a ladder to hang a display or covered in paint while completing original murals, always with a smile on her face! She retired in December 1999.

Mary Ann was incredibly devoted to her two grandchildren. Whether it was taking them to garage sales, teaching them painting and drawing, attending school events, or making their favorite dishes (her smothered pork chops will never be duplicated!), they were the focus of her later years, and she helped to make them the people they are today.

Acknowledging her strength and grace in facing an Alzheimer's journey in recent years, the family expresses extreme gratitude to the caregivers at Terra Vista of Oakbrook Terrace. They provided love and support to Mary Ann while allowing her to maintain her dignity.

The family is grieving privately. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to protect birds and the natural world she loved so much are greatly appreciated.