Marianne Stewart
In celebration of life, the loved ones of Marianne Stewart announce her peaceful passing through the gates of Heaven on Tuesday, April 13, 2021.
While in the great care of TGH Hospital and Life Path Hospice, she peacefully passed at her home, surrounded by love: her daughter, Kathi Ann Stewart; her son, Kenneth Stewart; her granddaughter, Kaitlyn Fitzgerald; her great-grandson, Blake; her grandson, Kyle Fitzgerald; Kaitlyn’s fiancée, Ralph Debiase; Kathi’s love, Gregory Carlton; her long-time friend, John Schwartz; and her beloved dog, Minnie.
During the last several weeks, Marianne, Mae, Aunt Mae, Aunt Marianne, Grandma, Grandma G.G, and Mom, all the names she was well known by, was so blessed to receive many loving video messages, text messages, voice texts from family and friends and neighbors. We were able to play for her these messages from the people whose life she so greatly impacted and who loved her sweet soul.
Marianne had just celebrated her 85th birthday in January, where she received so many messages of memories that friends and family shared with her and where her daughter Kathi presented her with the book she had written in her honor, One Fell Off the Merry-Go-Round, a book that shares the legacy of Marianne’s story.
Marianne was born in Munich, Germany, to the late Anna and Martin Elfinger on January 23, 1936. When she was 3 years old, the family immigrated from Munich to the United States, and they landed in the city of Chicago, Ill., where Marianne was raised. At 19 she married, moved to Lake Villa, Ill., then to Glenview and then to Prospect Heights, Ill., in 1965, to the house that she designed and built, as her dream career was always to become an architect but ended up a successful accountant. In Prospect Heights, Ill., she raised two children, Kathi and Kenny, and was mom to everyone in the neighborhood. Marianne then retired to her dream home that she also designed in one of her favorite places where family and friends gathered to make mountain memories, Christmas Mountain in Wisconsin Dells. Marianne loved it there, as summer and fall were her favorite times of year, but winter not so much. So, she spent winters and spring in sunny Florida. The last 15 years she was a permanent resident of Del Webb in Sun City Center, Fla., a home she loved for the pool, pond in the back, the sun, the water, the birds, and all of Florida nature.
What inspired us about Marianne was how she loved life. She had a feisty spirit, vibrant and bright, and she was so active up until the very end. She loved volleyball, walley-ball, dancing, square dancing, swimming, RV-ing and, most of all, camping, where she was christened the Doughy-Queen, a famous campfire dessert she shared with friends and family around the campfire. She just loved being around people of all ages. One of her greatest gifts was the gift of making everyone she met feel welcome, cared about and loved. She was a giver; her kindness, plus empathy, was a trait she shared freely. You just had to look at Marianne’s beautiful blue eyes and dishwater blonde hairthat never greyed; it remained a silvery platinum blonde. All who were lucky enough to have her in their lives loved her crazy sense of humor, her smile, and when you met Marianne, you just knew what a genuine, good-hearted person she was in life, her personality just sparkled and drew everyone in, and she will forever remain in our hearts.
She is survived by her daughter, Kathi Ann Stewart, “Heart” ; son, Kenny Stewart, “Sonny Boy”; granddaughter, Kaitlyn Fitzgerald; great-grandson Blake; grandson, Kyle Fitzgerald; daugher-in-law, Carol Stewart; granddaughters, Lauren and Alexandra Stewart; grandson, Brandon Stewart; brother, Martin Elfinger; sister-in-law, Marilynn Elfinger; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and so many wonderful friends of all ages from so many places and walks of life. She was preceded in death by her sweet sister, Linda Schaefer; her mother and father, Anna and Martin Elfinger; and her nephew, Stephen Schaefer.
To celebrate Marianne, our family will host a summer gathering where we will celebrate her life and do what she loved most, have a campfire and roast doughey’s in her honor. There will be one in Florida and one in Illinois. Details TBD
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her name to one of her favorite charities: St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, www.StJude.org/donate or the ASPCA www.ASPCA.org/donate American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals/.
While in the great care of TGH Hospital and Life Path Hospice, she peacefully passed at her home, surrounded by love: her daughter, Kathi Ann Stewart; her son, Kenneth Stewart; her granddaughter, Kaitlyn Fitzgerald; her great-grandson, Blake; her grandson, Kyle Fitzgerald; Kaitlyn’s fiancée, Ralph Debiase; Kathi’s love, Gregory Carlton; her long-time friend, John Schwartz; and her beloved dog, Minnie.
During the last several weeks, Marianne, Mae, Aunt Mae, Aunt Marianne, Grandma, Grandma G.G, and Mom, all the names she was well known by, was so blessed to receive many loving video messages, text messages, voice texts from family and friends and neighbors. We were able to play for her these messages from the people whose life she so greatly impacted and who loved her sweet soul.
Marianne had just celebrated her 85th birthday in January, where she received so many messages of memories that friends and family shared with her and where her daughter Kathi presented her with the book she had written in her honor, One Fell Off the Merry-Go-Round, a book that shares the legacy of Marianne’s story.
Marianne was born in Munich, Germany, to the late Anna and Martin Elfinger on January 23, 1936. When she was 3 years old, the family immigrated from Munich to the United States, and they landed in the city of Chicago, Ill., where Marianne was raised. At 19 she married, moved to Lake Villa, Ill., then to Glenview and then to Prospect Heights, Ill., in 1965, to the house that she designed and built, as her dream career was always to become an architect but ended up a successful accountant. In Prospect Heights, Ill., she raised two children, Kathi and Kenny, and was mom to everyone in the neighborhood. Marianne then retired to her dream home that she also designed in one of her favorite places where family and friends gathered to make mountain memories, Christmas Mountain in Wisconsin Dells. Marianne loved it there, as summer and fall were her favorite times of year, but winter not so much. So, she spent winters and spring in sunny Florida. The last 15 years she was a permanent resident of Del Webb in Sun City Center, Fla., a home she loved for the pool, pond in the back, the sun, the water, the birds, and all of Florida nature.
What inspired us about Marianne was how she loved life. She had a feisty spirit, vibrant and bright, and she was so active up until the very end. She loved volleyball, walley-ball, dancing, square dancing, swimming, RV-ing and, most of all, camping, where she was christened the Doughy-Queen, a famous campfire dessert she shared with friends and family around the campfire. She just loved being around people of all ages. One of her greatest gifts was the gift of making everyone she met feel welcome, cared about and loved. She was a giver; her kindness, plus empathy, was a trait she shared freely. You just had to look at Marianne’s beautiful blue eyes and dishwater blonde hairthat never greyed; it remained a silvery platinum blonde. All who were lucky enough to have her in their lives loved her crazy sense of humor, her smile, and when you met Marianne, you just knew what a genuine, good-hearted person she was in life, her personality just sparkled and drew everyone in, and she will forever remain in our hearts.
She is survived by her daughter, Kathi Ann Stewart, “Heart” ; son, Kenny Stewart, “Sonny Boy”; granddaughter, Kaitlyn Fitzgerald; great-grandson Blake; grandson, Kyle Fitzgerald; daugher-in-law, Carol Stewart; granddaughters, Lauren and Alexandra Stewart; grandson, Brandon Stewart; brother, Martin Elfinger; sister-in-law, Marilynn Elfinger; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and so many wonderful friends of all ages from so many places and walks of life. She was preceded in death by her sweet sister, Linda Schaefer; her mother and father, Anna and Martin Elfinger; and her nephew, Stephen Schaefer.
To celebrate Marianne, our family will host a summer gathering where we will celebrate her life and do what she loved most, have a campfire and roast doughey’s in her honor. There will be one in Florida and one in Illinois. Details TBD
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her name to one of her favorite charities: St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, www.StJude.org/donate or the ASPCA www.ASPCA.org/donate American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals/.