Mary Ann Bender (nee Cosgrove) formerly of Minocqua, Wisconsin passed away Friday afternoon, August 16th in Bedford, TX after a long and happy life of 87 years. She was the loving wife of Laurance Hadley Bender and mother of Jim, Jen and Dan.
Mary Ann, along with her twin brother Joseph, was born on March 25, 1932, in Davenport Iowa to the late Millie and Henry Cosgrove. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Mary Ann taught elementary school and special needs education in the suburbs of Chicago before devoting her time to raising her children. In 1977, she and husband Larry left the Chicagoland area for Northern Wisconsin where she lived through retirement, splitting her time between Minocqua, Wisconsin and Naples, Florida. Her interests in tennis, bridge and mahjong provided her with great fun and many friendships.
She is survived by her brother, Joseph, of Bedford, TX and son James (Kristin) Bender (of Denver, CO); loving daughter Jen Marie Bender (of Grapevine, TX) and son Dan (Eileen) Bender (of Glen Ellyn, IL). She was the much loved grandmother of Jonathon Bender, Elizabeth (Grant) Plost, Dr. Victoria Bender, Michael Christensen, Bradley Christensen, Finn Bender, and George Bender. She will be remembered with love by her many nieces and nephews. She was preceeded in death by her sister, Genevieve, brother Richard and husband Larry.
A visitation and brief memorial service will be held at 6:00 pm on Tuesday August 20th at the J. E. Foust & Son Funeral Home in Grapevine Texas. A Mass of Christian Burial and internment will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church Woodruff, WI in early fall. Arrangements in Minocqua will be handled by Bolger Funeral Home.
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