Mary Brandt

Mary was born December 13, 1930 in Chicago, IL to Christian and Selma Schaefer. She passed away peacefully January 19, 2017 in Barrington. Following graduation/confirmation from St. Ignatius grade school on the north side of Chicago, she enrolled at Mallinckrodt, an all-girls high school in Wilmette. She maintained close relationships with nuns and classmates for many years. Upon marriage in 1956 to Robert, her honeymoon to Hawaii and California had in store a safe, emergency landing due to fog on a Los Angeles street in Robert's single-engine Cessna airplane. The family moved to Skokie, IL and attended St. Joan of Arc Church and school for 7 years. Mary worked as secretary for the American Medical Association in Chicago, Robert's aerial photography business of 55 years, and St. Margaret Mary Church office in Algonquin for 30 years. The family moved to Woodlane Farm in Barrington Hills in 1969 where the family attended St. Anne School and Parish in Barrington. She enjoyed the psalms, watching backyard birds and numerous animals, gardening, picking wildflowers, pressing homemade apple cider, happily feeding helpers who baled hay, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. She was a gracious host of many family reunions at Woodlane Farm.

A devout Roman Catholic, she attended Pope John Paul II's mass at Grant Park in Chicago in 1979. In addition to raising five children, Mary was a passionate caregiver to twelve family members over the years. She was a member of American Legion Women's Auxiliary, and Algonquin Garden Club. Among her many charities and causes were: Women's Health Initiative, blood and platelet donor, Pacific Garden Mission, Native American Tribes, PBS, Muscular Dystrophy, election judge, SMM youth group hayride, American flag sponsor at church. She enjoyed her families’ baseball and softball games, Cubs and Blackhawks games and taking grand children to Ringling Bros. circus.

Mary always put others first and her passion for helping all she could was shown in her daily actions. A member of the greatest generation, she kept an open door and treated friends as family. She will be missed greatly by all who knew her. Mary is survived by her children; Robert (Susan) Brandt, Susan (Robert) Olsen, Margaret (Paul) Valade, Thomas Brandt and William Brandt; and grandchildren, Mallory and Emily. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Robert A. Brandt; grandson, August; brother, Dr. Cyril M. Schaefer; and her parents.

Memorial visitation will be 9:30am until the funeral mass at 11:00am, Saturday, February 4 at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 111 S. Hubbard St., Algonquin, followed by burial in Evergreen Cemetery, Barrington.
Memorial donations may be made to JourneyCare Foundation, 2050 Claire Court, Glenview, IL 60025.