Mary Nuss

Mary A. Nuss, 71, died unexpectedly of natural causes on February 4, 2021. Born in Rockford, Illinois, on November 1, 1949, to Carl and Winnefred (Fosler) Nuss, she grew up in Durand, Illinois, and graduated from Durand High School in 1967. She then attended Northern Illinois University and graduated in 1971.

Mary worked for the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland for many years.
While in Maryland, she was a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Silver Spring. The pastor there wrote this about Mary: "Now and then someone comes along and touches our congregation’s ministry and outreach in amazing ways. How we give thanks for the saints who have come our way and made such a profound imprint. Mary Nuss was one of those people."

Mary retired in 2013 and returned to her hometown of Durand where she was active in the church in which she was baptized and confirmed - Trinity Lutheran Church - as a choir member, as a quilter, as treasurer, and as a member of the church council. She was also active in the Durand Ecumenical Council, the Otter Creek Historical Society, the Durand Alumni Association, and the Rock Run Lutheran Cemetery Association.

Because of her interest in genealogy, she was a member of the Society of Descendants of the Schwenkfeldian Exiles and Numedalslågen Lag, an organization of descendants from the Numedal Valley in Norway.

She was also an amazing baker and cake decorator and loved preparing food for many events. She was a die-hard Cub fan just like her father.

Survivors include two brothers: Gary (Ann) Nuss and Stuart (Linda) Nuss; two sisters: Sharon (Bruce) Custer and Karen Butler; nieces and nephews: Katrina Custer, Beth (Kyle) Gowdy, Angela (Niel) Magsombol, Todd (Shan) Custer, Jennifer (Paul) Menzies, Amelia Nuss, Sharon Nuss, Ingrid (Tim) Pyne, Ahren Gowdy, Alec Gowdy, Jacob Menzies, Gideon Menzies, Trey Gowdy, Holden Pyne, and Zahra Pyne; one aunt: Beverly Lewis; and many, many cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran Mortgage Fund and Durand Food Pantry in care of McCorkle Funeral Home POB 165 Durand, IL 61024.