Mary Louise T Bara

Mary Louise Bara, 95, died peacefully at the DuPage County Community Care facility on April 13th after a long illness. Although she lost her mobility she maintained her mental acuity and memory. Her family is grateful for the good care given to her by the staff of the DCCC and Accent Hospice & Palliative Care.

Mary Louise Schwarte was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 18th, 1928 to Louise (Rogers) Schwarte and Wilfred Schwarte. She attended Catholic grade school (Our Lady of Mercy) and high school (Alvernia); after graduation she took her vows to be a nun at St. Joseph Convent, Milwaukee, Wisconsin joining the Order of St. Francis (O.S.F.) as Sister Mary Magdalene dePazzi in 1946. Sister dePazzi taught grade school in Medford, Wisconsin (10 years); was transferred to the Chicago, Illinois area and subsequently taught grades 5 - 7 at St. Nicholas, Our Lady of Good Counsel, St.Martin, Sts. Cyril & Methodius and St. William - each for 1 year. In 1970, after 24 years, Mary Lou left the O.S.F. and continued to teach in Catholic grade schools as a lay person, and retired in 1990 at age 62.

Retirement didn’t last long: a fellow teacher became Principal at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in Melrose Park, Illinois and asked Mary Lou to help start a Center for slow learners. She taught reading, later music (singing) and retired from teaching after 4 more years at the age of 65 in 1993. She then did clerical work at Skokie Memorial Park Cemetery for 7 years and was fully retired in 2001. Given her devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, it's no surprise she took up a hobby of hand making Rosaries, also teaching others. In the end, sending over 20,000 Rosaries to various missions world wide.

Mary Lou married Eugene Bara May 29, 1981. They resided in Chicago, Illinois until moving to a retirement community in Lisle, Illinois where on September 25, 2008 Gene died at age 87.

Mary Lou was the most loving sister of Arlene Rydel, Joseph Schwarte, Kathleen Leavy, and the late Lorraine Hoecker, as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Friends and family will gather for a visitation on Thursday, April 20th, 2023 from 9:00 am - 10:00 am at Blake-Lamb Funeral home, 5015 Lincoln Avenue, Lisle, Illinois 60532. This will be followed by a Mass of Christian Burial from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm at Christ the King Catholic Church, 1501 Main Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148. Mary Lou will be buried next to her beloved Gene and near her parents in St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, Illinois.