Mary Ellen Edmunds

She passed away October 10, 2014, at age 64 at Houston Northwest Hospital in Houston, Texas, after a brief respiratory illness. She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her older sister Nancy Agafitei (married to Rick) and younger brother Paul Edmunds (married to Tracy), two nieces (Kerry Edmunds and Courtney Brush), a nephew (Victor Agafitei), a great-niece (Kylee Blackmon) and four great-nephews (Ryder and Kane Blackmon, and Tyler and Colt Brush).

Mary attended First Lutheran Elementary School in Blue Island, and Maine East High School in Park Ridge. After graduation, she worked as a nurses’ aide and a licensed practical nurse in a number of nursing homes. In 1991, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from Oakton Community College. Following this, she worked in the Alzheimer’s unit at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Home in Park Ridge, Illinois until her retirement. In 2009, Mary relocated to Houston, Texas, to live closer to her sister Nancy’s family.

Mary was an avid reader. Together with her mom, she also loved to knit, crochet, and do ceramics and china painting. She had a beautiful voice, and she belonged to several church choirs in her lifetime.

She was a lifelong Lutheran and belonged to Lutheran congregations wherever she lived, most recently Hosanna Lutheran in Houston, Texas. At Hosanna she was a member of the adult Sunday school class, the Wednesday Bible study, the monthly book discussion group, and the Mission Focus Team. She was a faithful steward in her giving to the church and to children’s charities. Her final gift was a skin tissue donation made through LifeGift that has the potential to help 50 to 60 people.

Services will be at Hosanna Lutheran Church on Thursday, October 16, at 11:00 am. Burial will be at First Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hosanna Lutheran Church, 16526 Ella Blvd., Houston TX 77090.