Mary Therese (Seick) Woods

Mary Therese Woods, (nee Seick) age 97, of Arlington Heights peacefully passed away on August 31, 2025. She was surrounded by family and friends in her final days and lived a very full life. She was a loving mother, an accomplished seamstress and a friend to many.

Mary was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Therese Seick and Fred Seick in 1928. She was raised in Chicago along with her siblings, William Seick, Catherine Seick and Sylvester Seick. Mary graduated from Notre Dame High School for Girls. She also completed a Certificate of Education at DePaul University.

Mary married George J. Woods in 1952. They were married for forty-eight years and together they welcomed and raised their four girls, Anne (Ken) Pickett, Theresa (Brian) Neumayer, Mary (Doug) Doppke and Patty (Perry) Raupp.

Mary leaves behind a legacy of love including grandchildren Michael (Rebekah) Pickett, Lauren (Drake) Kelly, Andrew (Jessica) Neumayer, Margaret Neumayer, Anthony (Dianne) Doppke, Kathryn (Charles) Jones, Dawn (Luigi) De Matteo and the late Scott Krause. Great-grandchildren include Isabella, Madeleine, William and Thomas Pickett; Drake, George, Kate and Hannah Kelly; Veronica Neumayer; Zoe and Ezekiel Doppke; Jason and Lincoln Jones; and Chiara and Gino De Matteo. She was a beloved “Aunt Mary” to numerous nieces and nephews.

Mary has been a St. James Church parishioner for the last 58 years. She was a costumer for the St. James Theater productions for eight years and volunteered as a costumer for the school plays at St. Viator High School for eighteen years. She was honored with a room in St. Viator’s named “The Mary Woods Costume Room” in appreciation for all of her work associated with the theater department.

She also gave her time to work with PADS, was a volunteer at funeral luncheons at St. James Church, fabricated baptismal garments for babies baptized at St. James and volunteered at “Jubilation at St. James” for many years.

Mary shared the honor of an “’Educator’ Hearts of Gold” award in 2012 from the Board of Trustees and the Special Events Commission of Arlington Heights for her work with the students involved in the theater at St. Viator High School.

She was also employed at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library where she worked for twenty years.

Mary taught English as a Second Language classes to students at St. Peter Canisius School in Chicago where she also was an active member of The Altar and Rosary Society.

Mary enjoyed books and movies about history and WWII and watching and providing the questions to “Jeopardy!” She thoroughly enjoyed her monthly Thursday luncheons with her St. James friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband George J. Woods; her parents Tess and Fred Seick; her brothers William Seick and Sylvester Seick; her sister Catherine Seick; her daughter Patty Raupp and her grandson Scott Krause.

Mary’s family and friends will miss her for the rest of their lives, but they want you to know that it was a life well lived and that we are all the better for knowing her.

Visitation September 5, 2025 from 12:00 noon until 1:00 pm at St. James Catholic Church 831 North Arlington Heights Road Arlington Heights, Illinois. Mass to follow visitation at 1:00 pm. Private Interment at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in the name of Mary T. Woods can be made to St. James Catholic Church Arlington Heights, Illinois.