Maria Fedele

Devoted Mother, Grandmother, Partner, and Lifelong Friend

Maria Fedele, 75, passed away peacefully in her home on August 29, 2026, surrounded by the love and comfort of the family who tenderly cared for her throughout her courageous journey with glioblastoma.

Born in 1951, in the Galewood neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago as the only child to the late Rocco and Catherine Fedele, Maria came from a hard working immigrant family devoted to building a life in Chicago. She spent several formative years of her early childhood in the Reggio Calabria region of Italy before returning to the Chicago area at the age of six. A proud Italian who spoke fluent Italian throughout her life, she inherited a strong work ethic and a deep, enduring appreciation for her roots, culture, and family heritage.

Maria dedicated her professional career to serving as a legal assistant, bringing dedication and diligence to her work, but her greatest fulfillment came from the meaningful connections she built with the people around her. Truly inquisitive and genuinely curious about the lives of others, Maria had a special gift for listening and taking a sincere interest in everything happening in someone’s world. She was a loyal, steadfast friend whose relationships ran deep, maintaining treasured bonds spanning all the way back to her grade school days.

A woman of deep and enduring faith, Maria was a devout Catholic and an active parishioner and reader at Assumption Church. She found great joy in life's simple pleasures—playing a spirited game of Scrabble, basking in the warm sunshine, spending time near the water, and cheering passionately for her beloved Chicago sports teams, especially the Cubs, Blackhawks, and Bears.

Maria loved bringing people together around the table. She poured her heart into cooking, hosted traditional Sunday Italian dinners, and was famous throughout the family for baking and delivering batches of her beloved chocolate chip cookies. She made sure every holiday was celebrated with the family she loved so dearly and never wanted to miss a moment or a conversation, often being the very last one to leave a gathering.

Above all, Maria was a fiercely proud mother of three boys and a devoted grandmother. As “Grandma,” she loved Thea, Rocco, and Henry with every ounce of her soul—often declaring with absolute certainty that her grandchildren were simply perfect. She gave generously of her time and was a constant, cheering presence in their lives; there was never a game, performance, or milestone she didn't attend.

Maria is survived by her loving partner of over 20 years, Mike Vanier; her three sons, Jim (Molly) Buczynski, Jon (Courtney) Buczynski, and Jeff (Ronald "RJ") Hazen; her cherished grandchildren, Thea Hazen, Rocco Buczynski, and Henry Buczynski; and countless dear friends who meant the world to her. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Rocco and Catherine Fedele.

“Maria, Mamma, Nonna, riposa in pace. Ci mancherai tanto e ti vorremo sempre bene.”(Maria, Mom, Grandma, rest in peace, you will be missed and we will always love you.)

Family and friends will meet on Friday, September 11, 2026, at Assumption Catholic Church, 323 West Illinois Street, Chicago, Illinois 60654 for a 10:00 a.m. Funeral Mass. A luncheon celebrating Maria’s life with family and friends will immediately follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, www.stjude.org, 800-805-5856.

For further information please call Michalik Funeral Home at 312-421-0936.