Mary Louise Wentzel, age 77, entered her heavenly home on May 12, 2023. She was a loving mother and wife, but her absolute favorite title was Mom-Mom to her granddaughter. She also took great pride in her role as aunt, sister, friend, and neighbor, and will be missed by all who knew her.
Mary Lou was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1945 and graduated from Upper Darby High School in 1963. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Moore College of Art, located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, in 1967. Mary Lou and her husband John met when they were in high school and were married in 1972. John and Mary Lou moved to Virginia Beach, VA in 1992, where they have since resided.
After college, Mary Lou worked as a commercial artist for marketing and advertising agencies in the Philadelphia area. She particularly enjoyed working for Sulpizio Associates Advertising Agency for several years before becoming a stay-at-home mom to raise her daughter. When Mary Lou was able to return to work, she enjoyed teaching nursery school children in Pennsylvania and Virginia. She also volunteered her time as a home room parent, soccer and lacrosse mom, and was active as a band parent chaperone with the Kempsville High School marching band. She enjoyed line dancing, sewing, cooking, and researching family history. Her passion and artistry are on display through the beautiful quilts she spent countless hours creating. In addition to serving her family, quilting was a true labor of love. Along with her husband, she was a member of Providence Presbyterian Church.
Mary Lou is survived and cherished by John, her husband of over 50 years; daughter Heather and her husband Matt Burton and their daughter Mia; sister Kathie and her husband Paul Wentzel; nieces and nephews Caroline de Richemond, Billy and his wife Linda Wentzel (Tyler and Kaitlyn), Lynda and her husband David Johnston (Nicole and Bobby Helmer and children Delaney and Easton), and Kim and her husband Farmer Dinnella (Jessica and Squish Dougherty, Ken and Chelsea Kelly and children Shay and baby Kelly, Thomas Morris and Dominque Deitz).
Mary Lou is preceded in death by her parents Bob and Kate Wilson and nephew Bob Wentzel.
A private interment will be held at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk. A memorial service for friends and family will be held at Providence Presbyterian Church on June 3, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Providence Presbyterian Church, 5497 Providence Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23464.
