Mary Bradford Larko

Mary Alice "Mommom" Larko, a beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister, mentor, caregiver, and friend, passed away at home on October 30, 2025 in the company of her devoted husband, her cherished daughter-in-law, and her dog. She was 89 years old.
Mary and her siblings, Margaret, Terry, and Barbara, were raised in North Carolina by their parents, Alice and Tankley Bradford, in a home filled with family, love, and laughter. Mary carried this spirit of kindness, warmth, and generosity with her in her adult life, making people feel welcome wherever she went. Together with Dennis, her husband of 52 years, Mary is remembered as a model of what it means to extend one's love to those in need. During their children's teenage years in Chicago, Mary and Dennis's home became a sanctuary for their children, children's friends, children's girlfriends, nieces and nephews, future daughters-in-law, and more. There was no relation too distant to feel the welcoming embrace of Mary and Dennis as attested by Mary's first husband's second wife's son, who found refuge in their home during his own adolescence.
After living in Maryland, Illinois, Virginia, and Georgia, Mary and Dennis retired to southern California where they delighted in visits from their family who live all over the country. They found joy in caring for their dogs, sitting on the patio, and watching Family Feud and Law and Order. Most importantly, they found joy in being in one another's company. Mary was diagnosed with dementia in 2015 and experienced a slow physical and mental decline. Despite these challenges, her kind and welcoming nature endured. Even when she no longer recognized many of those close to her, she greeted everyone with warmth and love, especially showing gentle kindness toward her great-grandchildren. In the difficult last years of her life, each day Mary would repeatedly tell Dennis how much she loved him, reaching for his hand in comfort through her pain. She kept him on his toes until her last days, often putting him in his place with a call of "DENNIS!"
Mary is survived by Dennis; her sister Barbara Lind; her sons, Edward (Kathy) Atwell and Richard (Cathy) Atwell; her stepchildren, Karen Krupa and Dennis M. (Kris) Larko; her grandchildren and great-grand children Stephanie (Adam) Hopkins with Elijah, Gwendolyn, and Maxwell; Erin (Andrew) Atwell with Marian and Siena; Jared (Carissa) Krupa with Jacey, Colton, and Cade; Carlton (Megan) Atwell; Elliot (Meghan) Krupa; Meredith Krupa; Elizabeth (Tom) Strahl with Alison; Emily (Ryan) Atwell; Nicolas Larko; and Mia Larko; her nieces and nephews, Courtney (Rich) Korenkewiecz, Doris (Mike) Rudd, Tom Jamison, Bill (Rachel) Jamison, and Scotty Bradford; and her beloved dog Daisy. She was preceded in death by her first husband James Atwell; sister Margaret Jamison; brother Terry Bradford; and her parents Alice and Tankley Bradford.
Mary's family is planning a celebration of life next summer (2026) and invites those touched by Mary's life to begin gathering their memories and photos to share.