Mary Ellen Tandaric

Mary was born May 6, 1954, in Aurora, Illinois, the daughter of the late Edward and Caroline Tandaric of Downers Grove, Illinois. Mary attended St. Joseph School and Downers Grove North High School and went on to earn a real estate appraiser’s license and head Tandaric & Associates in Downers Grove. With the exception of a brief time in California and her recent move to Oklahoma, Mary lived her entire life in Downers Grove.

Her love and memory will carry on in the hearts of her treasured daughter, Lisa Williams (Gruber) (Phil) and grandsons Jacob and Nathan Sciluffo. In addition, Mary’s siblings Robert (Kathy) Tandaric, Jeanne (Vinko) Topic and Mark (Martha) Tandaric mourn her loss. Several nieces and nephews along with grandnieces and grandnephews, cousins and many friends celebrate her life. She cherished spending time with her family and friends and will be deeply missed, but her legacy and love will live on in those hearts who knew her.

Mary exhibited great joy for animals which rooted in her childhood passion for horses and cats. She loved being a campfire girl and being outdoors. She enjoyed reading, music and the arts. She had a generous heart, radiant smile and strong spirit.

Mary was cremated on October 6, 2025, in Oklahoma and will have a mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Downers Grove at a date in the near future. She will be laid to rest with her parents Edward and Caroline in Assumption Catholic Cemetery in Wheaton, Illinois. The family requests that donations be made to the West Suburban Humane Society in Downers Grove or the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma.