Marie A. Mertes

Marie Mertes, nee Belgram, age 82, finished her journey here on earth Friday, July 19, 2024. She will be remembered as a beautiful soul who was kind to all and who thought that her purpose in life was to help others. She was the old generation, stereotypical mom who barely had a bite or two at any meal as she was so intent on serving all others and was the first one up in the morning to start making breakfast and lunches for her husband and children and the last one to bed after making sure everyone in the house was tucked away. She was selfless and never complained. Her family was her everything. Marie was born in Brestowacz, Yugoslavia and was quickly caught up in the awfulness of WWII, including the separation from her parents, the internment in a work camp and a daring escape to Austria in which she was cared for by her cousin Barbara, who orchestrated the escape. Through the efforts of the Red Cross, she and her brother Adolf, was reunited with her mother, Elisabeth and father, John after the war and they found their way to America with the help of the Caritas Organization. Her family eventually settled in Chicago where she met her one and only,
the rough and tumble, but kind-hearted, Steve Mertes. One of Marie’s most happy times was when she worked for 27 years as a Lunch Mom at Schaumburg Elementary School and Enders-Salk Elementary School, where she loved her interactions with her sixth graders, including teaching them German while some of them taught her Spanish, and buying meals and snacks for those who couldn’t afford to so that they did not feel left out. Marie would buy winter jackets to those children in need to make sure they stayed warm. It was a memory that she would often talk about, and she cherished the book of well-wishes that her kids gave her when she retired. Marie was an adored mom to Dawn Lamprecht (husband Dave), Steve Mertes (wife Robin), Lisa Caffero, and Laura Garrett (husband Bill), and a doting Grandmother to David Lamprecht, Aaron Lamprecht, Sarah Lamprecht, Jacob Lamprecht, Alexandra Mertes and Lucas Garrett. She was forever mournful for her loss of her loving husband Steve, mother Elisabeth Belgram (Oma), grand-daughter Sarah Lamprecht, and brother Adolf Belgram, all of whom she is now happily reunited with. Visitation will be from 9:00 to 10:30 at the Chapel at The Oaks of Bartlett, 825 Carillon Dr., Bartlett, IL, with a mass to follow.