Mary Catherine Herlihy Wiedlin, November 10, 1923 – June 20, 2020. Born in Chicago, the precious only daughter of Norman Herlihy and Bernice Ergang, sister of Norman Jr., Thomas and Daniel, who died in infancy. Mary attended St. Cornelius school, Notre Dame High School and Barat College and sadly outlived them all. She grew up in Forest Glen, lived there most of her life and was its greatest fan. She was a person who was always making new friendships and maintained them throughout her life. Marriage to Roy F. Wiedlin began on July 26, 1947, produced 9 children, 22 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren and countless honorary and cherished friends. Mary and Roy oversaw, and actively aided and abetted, the love, laughter and noise produced by this gang until he died in 2006. Their door was always open and Mary opened her arms and heart to everyone who came through. Mary worked many wonderful years for the Indian Desk of the National Lutheran Council in downtown Chicago. She was a lifelong and enthusiastic Catholic, Democrat and Chicagoan, an environmental advocate, long before most people knew about such a thing; a passionate political reader, a longtime fan of “her friends” at WTTW, supporter and discusser of events; a lover of the stage and screen and books and yearned always to be at the beach and “her” Lake Michigan. She was sure that Bridge, Scrabble and the NY Times Crossword puzzle had kept her sharp for all of her years and was still working on moves as she lay dying surrounded by her family, whom she was intent on besting with those moves. Mary was, in her own words, “Happy all the time.” More than anything she loved her life and her family and we all knew it.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Norman and Bernice, Roy and Genevieve Wiedlin, her parents-in-law, beloved siblings Norman (Dorothy), Tom (Joan) and Danny Herlihy, in-laws and lifelong friends, Rosemary and Dick Willis and Bob and Betty Wiedlin, beloved son, Mike, granddaughter Sarah, grandson Matt and step-grandsons Michael and Junior. Mary is survived by her children, Maddy (Bill), Julie (Mike), Monica (John), Barb, Marte, Jerry (Connie), Paul and Regina; her grandchildren, Martha (Julien), Libby, John, Peter, Ethan, Mary (Jose), Clare (Charlie), Jimmy, Kitty, Regina, Charlie, Patrick, Danny (Michela), Angela (Joe), Jennifer, Yazmin, Mahin, Dinaz, Alex, and so many darling great-grandchildren. She will no longer be on the porch to greet us and Scrabble will be a different experience but Mary has made our lives and we are forever grateful.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, June 27, at 10:30 am, at St. Cornelius Church, 5430 W. Foster Avenue in Chicago. Interment is private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary’s name to WTTW – Chicago, 5400 N. St. Louis, Chicago, IL 60625-4698, or online at interactive.wttw.com, or to Catholic Charities, 2050 Ballenger Ave., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314.
May She Rest In Peace.
