Mary Therese Small

Our beloved Mary Therese Small passed away on October 31st, 2023, at the age of 63. She departed peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones.

Mary was born in Evanston, IL, in 1960 as the fourth child of John and Mary Scapin (née Settelmayer) of Wilmette, IL. She graduated from Regina Dominican High School in 1978 and earned her BS in Medical Technology from Northern Illinois University in 1982.

Mary met her beloved husband and high school sweetheart, Thomas Small, working together at Shmendl’s hot dog stand. They were married at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wilmette, IL, on September 24, 1983, then spent the next 28 years building a family and home in Morton Grove, IL. Mary’s greatest joy was being a mother to her three children, Anne, Stephen, and Matthew. She and Thomas moved to Urbandale, IA, in 2016 to be closer to their beautiful grandchildren. Mary was proud of her career serving in the medical field as a microbiologist at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Illinois and then as a pharmacy technician in Iowa. She enjoyed sudoku, reading novels, watching the Hallmark Channel, cooking delicious Italian dinners with her family, and doting on her cat, Baker. Above all else, she most loved spending time with her husband, being a cheerleader for her children, and cherishing her granddaughters.

Mary is survived by her beloved husband of 40 years, Thomas; daughter, Anne (Clayton) Franklin; sons, Stephen, and Matthew; three granddaughters, Katherine, Emma, and Grace; and her siblings, John, Susan, and William. Mary is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Daniel. She will be dearly missed by all whose lives were touched by her enduring kindness, loving smile, and giving heart.

To honor her memory, a visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 5, 2023 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home in Urbandale, IA, with a Rosary at 1:00 p.m. and Vigil at 3:00 p.m.  A Mass of Christian Burial honoring her life will be held on Monday, November 6, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Waukee, IA.  In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made in the form of a contribution to The Parkinson’s Foundation or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.