Mary Ann Kropp's Obituary
Mary Ann Kropp, loving wife, sister, aunt, and loyal friend, passed away on October 11, 2020 at the age of 92.
The oldest of three siblings, Mary Ann was born on August 23, 1928 in Illinois to Lillian and Edward Rostenkowski. Mary Ann, her brother Edward, and her sister Katherine grew up in Chicago’s Milwaukee-Diversey-Kimball District. They attended a traditional Polish school and church and learned to say prayers in Polish. The family was fond of dogs and kept several Australian Terriers over the years.
Mary Ann attended Notre Dame High School in Chicago. After graduating, she went to work as a secretary and stayed in close contact with her friends. On Friday nights, they got together for bowling and pizza. “She brought out the best in you,” said Mary Ann’s longtime friend and classmate Rosemary Vallone.
“Mary Ann had a very good sense of humor. She was one of the most positive people I’ve ever known in my life,” said her cousin Lillian Cera, who became close to Mary Ann during high school. As their families grew, Mary Ann later became Lillian’s maid-of-honor and the godmother of Lillian’s daughter.
A devoted daughter, Mary Ann loved her family and adored her younger sister Katherine, who was born when Mary Ann was almost 20 years old. When Katherine was a baby, Mary Ann took her for regular stroller walks on Milwaukee Avenue, often passing by an automobile accessory store where Mary Ann eventually met Glenn Kropp. They struck up a conversation when Glenn noticed the stroller needed repairs and offered to fix it. Soon thereafter, they began dating, and they married in November, 1973.
In 1989, Mary Ann and Glenn moved to North Fort Myers, Florida where they were active community members. Both were avid travelers who enjoyed going on cruises. No matter where their trips took them, Mary Ann made a point of bringing back special souvenirs for her loved ones. She was always thinking of others, and cared deeply about her family’s well-being. Mary Ann also had a passion for creating art and loved to give handmade pottery to friends and family.
Her family will always remember her cheerful personality, wry sense of humor, and meticulous celebration of birthdays and holidays. Mary Ann never failed to call and sing a special rendition of “Happy Birthday,” always joking that the message was from Western Union. Though she faced adversity in her life, she retained her upbeat attitude. She was fond of saying, “Keep a stiff upper lip” and “This too shall pass.”
Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Lillian and Edward Rostenkowski, her brother Edward Rostenkowski, her sister Katherine Wakerly, and her husband Glenn Kropp. She is survived by her cousins Lillian Cera, Fran Grohwin, and Donna Reck, nephews Michael Wakerly and Mark Rostenkowski, nieces Lori Anderson, Gina Rich, and Susanne Robertson, and several grand-nephews and grand-nieces, all of whom will never forget her bright and caring spirit.
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