MARY A. DICHTEL, 70,

of Green Valley and formerly of Cary, Ill., died Nov. 19, 2008, at the Casa Colina Assisted Living Home in Green Valley after a courageous two-and-a-half year battle with ovarian cancer.

Born Feb. 27, 1938, in Chicago, Ill. to Nicholas and Mary (Donnelly) Cummings, Mary attended St. Vincent De Paul Elementary School and Immaculata High School. Mary spent many of her childhood summers on Mackinac Island, Mich., where much of her extended family lived. She was a proud Chicagoan who enjoyed world travel, her daily crossword puzzle, a good glass of wine, and celebrating her Irish heritage. A lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, Mary insisted on a trip to Wrigley Field this past summer, even after her illness had made it difficult for her to climb to her seat.

After retiring to Green Valley in 1991, Mary was active in the choir at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, the Green Valley Telephone Pioneers, the Green Valley Elks Auxiliary, and the “Bodacious Babes” Red Hat Society.

She is survived by her husband Francis; children Steven Martenson, Christine (Tom) Layshock, and Sharon (Jeff) Mills; grandchildren Jason Bishop, Nicole (Jeff) Pedigo, Scott (Amy) Bishop, Heather and Hannah Martenson, Grayson, Shane, and Evynn Layshock, and Madeline and Henry Mills; and great-grandchildren Cali Bishop and Travis Pedigo.

A Memorial Service to honor Mary’s life will be held at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 416 First St., Cary, Ill., at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, 2008.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s name can be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, 14 Pennsylvania Plaza, Suite 1400, New York, NY 10122.

The family would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the angels at Odyssey Hospice in Tucson and the staff at Casa Colina in Green Valley for their excellent care and compassion during Mary’s final days.

Mom,

May the road

rise up to meet you.

May the wind

be always at your back.

May the sun shine

warm upon your face;

the rains fall

soft upon your fields

and until we meet again

may God hold you

in the palm of His hand.