Mary E. Bode

Mary E. Bode (July 17, 1954 - May 12, 2025)

Mary Ellen Bode was born on July 17, 1954 to Harold and Martha Hunter, joining older sister Ann in their home on a farm in Esmond, Illinois, east of Rockford. There she began to develop the hard-working and determined nature and strength of character that increasingly marked her entire life and so impressed and inspired those who knew and loved her. Baptized into Christ at St. John Lutheran Church in Creston, Illinois, Mary continued to receive God's grace and grow in her faith and the knowledge of Christ, building a life of faithful and fruitful service to her Lord, her family, her church and her community.

After graduating from Rochelle Township High School in 1972 Mary attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign developing a lifelong interest in Child Development and receiving her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 1976. While attending the University of Illinois Mary met and fell in love with Craig Bode and they were married at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Cary Illinois on May 28, 1977, initiating a lifetime of love, family and partnership in the work of Christ's Church and the spread of the Gospel of their Lord Jesus.

The Bodes welcomed into their home daughters Emily and Sara and son Paul as they responded to God's call and served Christ together at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Euclid, Ohio, where Craig was called as Pastor for 31 years. The Bodes went on also to serve as ministry partners at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Pierce, Florida, and continued their service together after Craig's retirement in 2021. Mary served Christ in His church in countless capacities, but always found special expressions for her many ministry skills in a lifelong calling to serve God's youngest children.

Beginning in 2013, a constantly growing number of grandchildren became important an important focus and fixtures in Mary and Craig's hearts and home, allowing Mary to prove herself as a loving and devoted grandmother. Mary welcomed the responsibilities of home and family, gladly devoting herself to those she loved, always supplying them with a generous dose of love and acceptance, accompanied by an exceptional example ... always pointing her family to her Lord Jesus, His Word and His worship. People of all backgrounds were drawn to Mary and her captivating smile, naturally, and often immediately. She shone bright with the light and love of Christ and all who knew her enjoyed basking in the warmth of her unconditional love and support.

Plagued most of her adult life with reoccurring cancer, Mary endured numerous surgeries and treatments over the years, always with her courageous smile and determined resolve to defeat this disease and continue her service to family and Lord. But that equally determined enemy returned once again in 2023 when Mary was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. God blessed her with a remarkable recovery from Whipple surgery and months of restored health and vitality that she gladly shared with all, until the spread of her cancer was discovered in March of this year and determined to be untreatable. Her health, complicated by this deadly cancer and compounded by extreme lymphedema, rapidly gave out, and Mary found it time to end her earthly battle and claim her eternal victory in Christ. She died peacefully this past Monday in the care of her husband and family, who released her into the waiting arms of her loving Savior, still, and now eternally, undefeated with her Lord Jesus.

Mary is survived by her husband, Craig, her children and their spouses, Emily and Petri Hayes, Sara and Adam DeBord, and Paul and Katie Bode, her grandchildren, Kai, Kiira, Caden, Grace, Hope, Bennett, Caleb, Ethan, Mercy, Alina and Charis, her sister and brother-in-law, Ann and Jim Sevier, her siblings by marriage, Brett and Carolyn Bode, Cathy Mangan, Anne Bode, and Kirk and Barb Bode, and many other friends and family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Martha Hunter, in laws Carlton and Geneva Bode, Pat Mangan and Kim Bode.

Mary's life was a record of dignity, courage and productive service to the end, leaving those of us who enjoyed the touch of her life a lasting legacy of firm faith in Christ, faithful service to His Church and devoted love to her family and friends. Always a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, as well as a thoughtful friend, one who often spoke and always meant those powerful words, "I love you!", Mary now places us in the loving care of her Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. She will be greatly missed, even as her memory and her Lord Jesus continues to urge us on to deeper love for each other, greater faith in Christ, more fervent worship of Him and more faithful service in His Kingdom.

"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:21—NIV)

A gathering will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 from 4:00-5:00 PM with a service to follow at 5:00 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church, Fort Pierce.