Mary Ellen Kuhlmann

After a difficult journey though the lands of dementia, Mary Ellen Kuhlmann, age 82, passed away on December 10, 2020 at her home in Des Plaines, Illinois due to complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

The only child of Ellen Elizabeth Olsen (nee Erickson) and Ralph Olsen, Mary Ellen Olsen was born on December 17, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois. Her mother’s family was Swedish American, while Ralph was of Danish and Norwegian heritage. When Mary Ellen was four years old the family moved to Lunt Avenue in Des Plaines, Illinois. Here she grew up and graduated from Maine Township (now Maine East) High School in 1955. Her senior yearbook listed activities that highlighted interests which followed her throughout her life: including singing Handel’s Messiah, the Mounted Mainite horseback riding club, History honors, and the Future Teacher’s club. She attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, graduating with a degree in Elementary Education the spring of 1959. Mary was a member of (Gamma Theta) Alpha Xi Delta sorority as well as singing in the University Chorus and part of Town Girls, a club of women living off campus.

On July 16, 1960 she married Paul William Kuhlmann of Maywood, Illinois at the First United Methodist Church in Des Plaines. One of many things she loved about Paul was his large, close-knit family who filled her life with convivial gatherings as they congregated for every birthday, anniversary, and most holidays. They made their home in Des Plaines to be near Mary’s parents, raising three children while sharing their lives with several beloved dogs. Mary had a strong neighborhood friend group that met frequently for morning coffee klatches and attended events together such as plays by the Des Plaines Theatre Guild.

Mary taught elementary school until she had her first child in 1963, and resumed teaching on a substitute basis for the Elk Grove School District in the late 1970s. Due to a surplus of teachers at the time, she left teaching in the 1980s and for many years worked in the accounting department of Kimball Hill Homes. After retirement she returned to her first love, teaching, by becoming an English as a Second Language tutor for a program hosted by the Des Plaines Public Library.

Mary loved reading, gardening, playing cards, country music, and dancing. Mary and companion Glenn Schwartz (formerly of Des Plaines and now of Knoxville, TN) enjoyed country line dancing with close friends Paul and Diana Richard and other activities together. She was an accomplished seamstress, a skill regretfully not possessed by either of her daughters. She enjoyed travel, especially to the Northwoods of Wisconsin where every summer she enjoyed the serenity of “our” lake, Big Portage near Land ‘O Lakes, the pines and oaks of the forest, exploring the surrounding small towns, and fishing (until Paul’s death in 1988, when she officially “retired” her fishing pole).

She is survived by her children Ellen Elizabeth, Ann Rose, and Michael Edwin (Michele), many extended family members, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband Paul.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Memories and condolences may be left on her obituary page of the Oehler Funeral Home in Des Plaines website, https://www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/des-plaines-il/oehler-funeral-home/7154.

Mary will be cremated and interred near her husband Paul at Oakridge-Glen Oak Cemeteries in Hillside, Illinois. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made in her memory to either Rainbow Hospice or the Alzheimer’s Association.

The family thanks all who loved Mary and are thinking of her now as well as the caregivers of Right at Home who were so integral in caring for her the past few years.