Mary Lou Budd

Mary Lou Budd, 96, died March 3, 2026 at Sunrise Assisted Living in Schaumburg, IL. Born December 22, 1929 in Pittsburgh, PA to Helen Kutscher Petty (a homemaker and later, a high school English and history teacher) and Hiram Petty (a family doctor), she grew up in Loudonville, OH. A true child of small-town America during the Depression and WWII era, she carried with her the resilience, adaptability, and resourcefulness so characteristic of her generation. She also had a tremendous sense of fun and a deep appreciation of the beauty in the world around her.

Early in life, she developed a great love of music and played both the piano and violin. In 8th grade she was recruited to the Loudonville High School marching band to play the bass drum – because the director knew that as a pianist, she could keep a beat. After graduating from high school in 1947, she enrolled at the College of Wooster, where she majored in Spanish, graduating in 1951.

Sometime in 8th grade, she agreed to go to the movies with a boy named Curt Budd. They went to see newly released "Bambi," stopping afterwards to share a soda at the local fountain. Even though Curt moved away after 10th grade, they stayed in touch, and he also enrolled at the College of Wooster. The day after they graduated, they were married at First Presbyterian Church in Loudonville. Soon after, Curt enlisted in the US Air Force, and their life adventure began.

As Curt navigated the various opportunities that came his way as an Air Force officer and pilot, they moved no fewer than 16 times over the course of his 24-year career, including a three-year stint outside London. Through it all, wherever they landed, Mary Lou created a warm and loving home for her family. Through her example, she taught resilience and flexibility, and her children came to understand that there are nice people everywhere, and that friends can be made anywhere you go. She and Curt settled in Cincinnati, OH in 1976, after his retirement from the Air Force.

As her children grew up, she went back to school to get her teaching certificate to become an elementary school librarian. In 1978 she went to work as a Media Specialist at Milford (OH) Elementary School, where she stayed until her retirement in 1993. While she absolutely loved everything about connecting children and books, she also embraced evolving technology – taking charge of bringing the first computers into her school in 1981.

After their retirement, Mary Lou and Curt enjoyed many years of travel, visiting their far-flung children and grandchildren, spending time with family on beloved Cape Cod, and exploring many places in the US and Europe. They especially enjoyed their winter getaways to Bermuda and St. Thomas, USVI.

Always interested in learning something new, early in retirement, she took the required coursework to become a docent at the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati, where she also taught in their program of outreach to local schools.

Mary Lou generously shared her talents in many other ways throughout her life. She served as a Brownie Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout den leader, sewed costumes for myriad theater productions, tutored underserved children as a literacy volunteer, managed the children's section for the Library Association annual book sale, and stayed active at Mt. Washington Presbyterian Church.

After Curt died in 2011, she herself realized she needed to live somewhere with family support more immediately available. As difficult as it was to leave a home she had loved for over 35 years, she drew on her experiences as an Air Force wife and managed with grace and optimism a 17th move to Schaumburg, IL in 2013.

Warm and welcoming, with a great sense of humor, any friend of her children was welcome at her kitchen table. She made a mean macaroni & cheese and an even better apple pie (with homemade crust of course). She always dressed spit-spot and couldn't start her day unless her bed was perfectly made. In her later years, nothing gave her more pleasure than time spent with her family, especially her great-grandchildren.

Mary Lou was pre-deceased by her husband of nearly 60 years, Curt Budd and son-in-law Kent Crassweller. She is survived by her daughters Marcie Budd Crassweller (Tom O'Malley) and Jane Budd Maloney (Mike) and her son Curt Budd (Tricia); grandchildren Kary Payne (Phil), John Crassweller (Shannon), Scott Crassweller (Jennie), Erin Maloney, Megan Maloney, Michael Maloney, Curtis Budd and Connor Budd; and eight great grandchildren: Liam, Kailey and Caiden Crassweller; Josie, Felicity and Nico Payne; and Kentyn and Brian Crassweller.

Funeral services will be held Friday March 13 at First Presbyterian Church, 225 E. Main St, Loudonville, OH, 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at the Loudonville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mary Lou's memory to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

Snyder Funeral Homes- Lindsey Chapel is honored to serve Mary Lou's family. Online condolences and memories may be expressed to the family on her tribute wall.