Mary Lou Sturtewagen, 93, of Sheffield, IL, passed away on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at Betty's Garden Memory Care, Kewanee, IL.

Mary Lou was born on November 13, 1931, in Kewanee, to Ralph and Marie (Rohrig) Imes. She was one of ten children. Mary Lou graduated in 1950 from Kewanee High School. 

Mary Lou married Gerald (Sturt) Sturtewagen on February 19, 1955. They raised four children: Cindy (Rick) Jacobs of Kewanee; Sandra (Randy) Sommer of Sheffield; Patricia (Bob) Gould of Sheffield; and Anthony Sturtewagen of Sheffield.

Mary Lou and Sturt farmed in the Annawan, Mineral, and Sheffield area. Mary Lou embraced the “rural” life she married into. Her family remembers her working long days in the field, caring for livestock, tending a very large garden, and canning from it to feed their family. Other fond family memories include her using a wringer washer for many years, hanging clothes to dry, going to Kewanee to do shopping, and taking her mother to get groceries weekly. She could have been Pinterest before it was created, with her craft creations, repurposing things, and recipe clippings.

Mary Lou worked a variety of jobs. She had a very strong work ethic and was very honest. She used shorthand in her secretarial jobs and continued to write shorthand until her passing, attempting to teach her children and grandchildren how to write and read shorthand. She was known to make Christmas present lists in shorthand that were never deciphered.

She enjoyed playing cards and dice games with her daughters into her 90s. She enjoyed shopping.

Mary Lou is survived by her daughters, Cindy and Sandy. She leaves behind beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren and their families:

Brandi (Leon) Cade-Austin (Dana) Primo Bryson, Ellaine, and Brinley  -Tatum Primo

Brooke (Dennis) Bunting-Ayla and Reid

Natosha (Trafton) Hodge-Corbin, Cora, and Collin

Brett (Kelli) Jacobs-Reese and Nolan

Zackery Sommer (Eddie Jaime)

Cody (Emma) Sommer, Steel, and Skyler

Jake (Hillary) Gould, Claire, and Hemi

Bobbie ( Brittany) Gould

She enjoyed the companionship and protection of past and present dogs: Allie, Brutus, Henry, Gracie, and Bella.

Private inurnment will be at a later date with family at Saint Anthony’s Cemetery in Atkinson, IL.

Cremation will be directed by Mississippi Valley Cremation & Direct Burial, 1811 15th Street Place, Moline, IL.

Family and friends are invited to share memories and express condolences on her memory page at mvcremation.com.