Denice Ott, 53, Local Realtor, avid gardener
Denice Ott, 53, of Oak Park, died on July 19, 2009 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Born on July 9, 1956 in Livonia, Mich., she was a graduate of Southern Illinois University with a degree in architectural design. At SIU, she was named Exceptional Design Student of The Year for two years.
A local real estate agent for 18 years, she eventually co-owned a boutique firm, specializing in sales, property management and development, primarily of condominium conversions. She was awarded two Cavalcade of Pride awards from the Village of Oak Park, one for her home and one for the Mirabel Court Condominium development.
She gave freely of her time and talent to many friends and colleagues. An avid gardener, her garden was selected for an Oak Park garden walk, and an original window design technique she conceived was featured in the Chicago Tribune. She had a degree in weaving, enjoyed crocheting, jewelry making and was both self taught and a student of many other arts, crafts and trade skills on which she focused her peerless intensity and creativity.
Preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Mary Ann Ott, and her brother, Stephen C. Ott, Denice is survived by her brother, Richard J. Ott, and her sister, Beth (John) Gilles. She was the beloved aunt and godmother of Adam (Carie) Gilles and Kathryn (Bill Branson) Gilles; the great-aunt of Ashlyn Gilles; the godmother of Nicholas, Christopher and Jacqueline Glattard; the friend of Katherine and Didier Glattard, Mary Pat Fitzgerald and Rick Leary, and Alex Buttny, her life and business partner of 17 years, who was at her side, her caregiver through her long illness. Friends and family say they will miss her exceptional talent and loving personality. She left this world as she lived it: fearlessly, passionately and lovingly.
Ms. Ott asked that her body be gifted to Loyola Hospital through the Anatomical Gift Association to further medical knowledge. She declined a service or memorial but requested adoption or planting of a tree with an accompanying memorial plaque at Rehm Park in Oak Park. Contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to the Denice A. Ott Memorial, c/o Alex Buttny, P.O. Box 6302, River Forest 60305.
Mariruth Gawne, 86, Longtime Oak Park resident
Mariruth Gawne (nee Brandstrader), 86, of Oak Park died on July 19, 2009 as a result of an abdominal aortic aneurysm at Copley-Rush Hospital in Aurora, where she was surrounded by all of her adult children, who were in town, as well as some of their spouses, her grandchildren, her sister-in-law, nieces and nephews. Once the medical personnel had her pain under control, she was talking and communicating with her family until minutes before her peaceful death.
Mariruth Gawne was the wife of the late Bernard B. “Duke” Gawne, M.D.; the mother of Bernard Jr., M.D. (Suzanne Wight), Christine G. (Robert) Vernon, Judith G. (Gene) Krebs, Kevin R. (Mary Beth Spizziri), Stephen R. M.D., David G., Martin C. (Jean DeFrancesco), Matthew F. (Linda Larsen) and the late Marijo Gawne; grandmother of Chris (Sharon) & Andrea Varias, Bern (Kelly) & Liz Gawne, Stephen, Martin & Maureen Vernon, Kevin Jr., Katie & Patrick Gawne, Jackie & Charlie Gawne, and Kelly, Michael & Jack Gawne; the great-grandmother of Madoline & Martin Varias and Kara Gawne; the sister of Harry (Anita) Brandstrader and the late Fred, Rosemary, Eileen, Katherine, Stephen and Rita; the aunt and great-aunt of many, including her Oak Park nieces and nephews, Marita (Len) Jorgensen, Monica (Mike) Geyer, Marian (Tom) Garrigan, Rosemary O’Shea, John (Irene Guajardo) Gawne, and Fred Brandstrader; and the cousin of Clarke (Pat) Devereux of River Forest.
Visitation was held on July 22 at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home. Funeral Mass was celebrated on July 23 at St. Catherine-St. Lucy, followed by interment at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Hillside.
Memorials to the Duke Gawne Scholarship Fund or to the Catherine Devereux Brandstrader Scholarship Fund, both administered by the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation, 1049 Lake St., Oak Park 60301, are appreciated.