Mary G. Amenta

Mary G. Amenta, of Palatine, IL was born in Chicago on October 22, 1930, and died on April 23, 2025. Mary’s life was essential to many others. She was the loving daughter of the late Edwin L. Gmelich and the late Mae G. Gmelich; a loving and devoted mother of Charles III (Marie), Edwin (Francesca Polletta), Francis (Paula), Marybeth, Kerry Garesché (Claude), and the late Thomas (Lynn Bromstedt); proud grandmother of Russell, Gregory Edwin, Benjamin, Thomas, Madelyn (Scott) Burbank, Christina, John, Kyle Garesché (Kathryn), Thomas Garesché, Gregory Charles, and Luisa; and great grandmother of Josephine and Joshua Burbank. She was the ex-wife of the late Charles A. Amenta Jr, and loving aunt to many cherished nieces and nephews. Mary adored her siblings, Edwin, Patricia, John and Jim, who survives her, and their wonderful spouses.

Mary was the last survivor of a lifelong friendship group from St. Scholastica High School named the Pihsdneirfs (“friendship” spelled backwards). The ‘Phizzies’, as they called themselves, were bonded together through family, travel, competitive bridge tournaments and by being a source of endless support for each other to the end of their lives. Mary graduated from St. Scholastica in 1948 and attended her 75th high school reunion in 2023. Mary and several of the Phizzies attended nursing school at Oak Park Hospital, and upon graduation she worked as a labor and delivery nurse at Cook County Hospital where she met a young dental student, working at the hospital as an orderly. The next 25 years of her life were spent building the lives of others. She raised six children, supported her husband’s dental practice, edited the journal published by an organization called the American Society for Preventive Dentistry (ASPD), founded by Charles, and organized the ASPD Prevention Conventions. Later she established her career at the American Medical Association (AMA) where she traveled the country recruiting doctors for membership in the AMA. After she retired, she traveled the world and was a constant loving support in the lives of her children and grandchildren.

On June 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. there will be a private Graveside Burial Service for extended family members at All Saints Cemetery. From 12:30pm to 3:30pm we will hold a memorial luncheon to celebrate Mary’s life at Foxtail on the Lake at 1177 Howard Avenue, Des Plaines, Illinois, 60018.

Family, friends, old neighbors from Glenview, and all friends of Mary’s family members are encouraged to attend. One of Mary’s specific instructions was for us to host a celebration where she could treat friends and family to a good Bloody Mary!