After a sloppy first half from both Woodstock North and Harvard that saw each team fumbling, missing snaps and turning the ball over, the Thunder took…
October 3, 2025
Maureen “Mimi” Motroni, a lifelong resident of Woodstock, passed away peacefully on Sept. 27, 2025, at the age of 74. Born on June 25, 1951, to William (Bud) Joseph Brendel and Alba (Rose) Guirrieri Brendel, Mimi lived a life dedicated to her family and community.
A graduate of Marian Central Catholic High School in 1969, Mimi went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in education from Northern Illinois University. She began her career as a dedicated educator, teaching math and chemistry at Belvidere High School. She continued to work at her family’s restaurant, The Woodstock Inn, where her warm and welcoming spirit made a lasting impression on everyone she met.
Mimi found her true professional calling at The State Bank of Woodstock (now BMO Harris), where she rose through the ranks with her sharp mind and tireless work ethic, eventually retiring as vice president in 2015. Her colleagues and clients remember her as a respected and compassionate leader.
In 1978, Mimi married the late John Motroni. Together they raised two children, Michelle and Phillip, and Mimi embraced her role as a loving stepmother to Jennifer Stefani and Melissa Motroni. Later in life, Mimi found the second love-of-her-life, marrying Robert O’Leary in 2015.
A woman of immense grace and generosity, she brought her passion and talent to many organizations including Woodstock Rotary Club, March of Dimes, Woodstock Opera House, the Woodstock Plan Commission, and the Woodstock Business & Professional Women’s club. Mimi was honored in July of 2025 by the Gaver’s Cancer Foundation with the “Never-Be-Defeated” award.
Mimi’s greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her loving husband, Robert O’Leary; her children Michelle (Chris) Fishman and Phillip Motroni; her cherished grandchildren, Caralyn, Tyler, and Katelyn Fishman; and her stepchildren, Jennifer (Steve) Stefani and Melissa Motroni, and their families. She also leaves behind her sisters, Rosemary (Gene) Lemke and Kathleen (Kenneth) Furrow, and her brother, Michael (Victoria) Brendel, along with many nieces, nephews, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and husband, John P. Motroni, in 2008.
Mimi will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her memory will be cherished for her unwavering kindness, her infectious laugh, and her profound love of life and family.
A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, 312 Lincoln Ave., Woodstock. Interment will follow in the Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Woodstock. A celebration of life reception will be held immediately after the cemetery service at the Moose Lodge in Woodstock. Memorials in her name to the Woodstock Rotary Club or the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation would be greatly appreciated in lieu of flowers.