Mary Martha Dedera

Mary was born on May 15, 1921 in Chicago, Illinois to Frank and Mary Sturma. She married Frank Dedera on November 1, 1941. They lived in Chicago until 1959, when they moved to Clarendon Hills, Illinois. In 1978 they retired to Gamaliel, Arkansas. After losing her husband in 2002, Mary moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas. In 2015 she returned to the western suburb of Clarendon Hills to be near her family.

Mary was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Mountain Home for many years. She was an avid reader and crossworder. She fell in love with hand-quilting after moving to the Ozarks where she was a member of several quilting groups and made many of her own quilts. She also enjoyed cross stitching, other handcrafts, and a good glass of wine.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Frank. She is survived by her children, Margaret (Rodney) Brandon, Barbara (Arif) Ozkurt, and Frank (Jill) Dedera; grandchildren, Karen (Andrew) Krueger, Robert Brandon, Melissa (Joseph) Hickok, Tyler Dedera and Janell (Mikey) Guanlao; great-grandchildren, Stella Krueger, Alexander “AJ” Hickok and Connor Dedera.