Mary Jane Bressler

Mary Jane Bressler of Oakbrook Terrace, formerly of River Forest, passed away on October 17, 2025. Born May 20, 1934 in West Reading, Pennsylvania to Herman (Jake) and Florence Bare, she was raised and attended school in nearby Shillington.
After high school, she attended the Pottstown (Pa.) Hospital school of nursing, earning a degree as a Registered Nurse. She moved to the Chicago area to work at the Hines Veterans Administration Hospital where she met her future husband, Leonard Bressler, M.D., a surgeon. The couple raised five children in their River Forest home. She then returned to school, earning a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Mundelein College and a Master's degree in counseling from the Alfred Adler Institute of Chicago, and went on to work as a drug and alcohol rehabilitation counselor at the Parkside Youth Center of Lutheran General Hospital.
Mary Jane's interests were widely varied. Her beautiful soprano voice could be heard for years in the choir of West Suburban Temple, of which she was a member, as well as various other choirs, choruses and theatrical and operatic productions. She traveled to every corner of the globe, climbing mountains in Nepal, running dogsleds in Minnesota, canoeing in the Boundary Waters, walking on glaciers in Alaska and Antarctica and visiting the holiest sites in Jerusalem among dozens of other destinations. She was a prolific knitter, turning out beautiful sweaters, scarves and blankets at a record pace along with many needlepoint creations. A voracious reader and talented writer, she authored many short stories, poems and a novel. Utilizing skills passed on from her mother, a seamstress, she sewed many of her own clothes, including beautiful gowns which elegantly adorned her at the many galas she attended with her husband. She even dabbled in painting and making pottery and was a phenomenal cook and an even better baker.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband. She is survived by her five children, Judith (Peter Weeks), Joy (Scott Klapman), David (Deanna), Joshua (Jennifer) and Stephanie (Leonard Levine), thirteen grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren as well as her sister Barbra Toenjes, her brother Richard Bare, her sister-in-law Anita Robbins, and many loving nieces and nephews.
A private interment and celebration of life will take place at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in her name to Metropolitan Family Service (www.metrofamily.org).

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