Mary Ann O’Rourke

Published 8:30 pm Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Mary Ann O’Rourke

Mary Ann O’Rourke (nee Dendinger) 3/24/1933 – 3/25/2025

Faith-filled. Loving. Generous. Outgoing. Mary Ann was all these things and more. She devoted her life to others: God, her Catholic faith, her husband, family, friends, neighbors and the less fortunate. Always eager to extend a friendly greeting, add friends to her circle, and graciously invite those to our home who were alone on the holidays or being treated at the Mayo Clinic. She was a role model as a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother. Mary Ann loved family gatherings and took a vested interest in our lives. We will miss her attentive and gracious ways (and her fondness for sweets and butter).

Mary Ann died peacefully at Madonna skilled nursing care after bravely and patiently enduring several illnesses. She was surrounded by her family and many friends during her waning days.

Mary Ann Dendinger was born in Coleridge, Nebraska to a farming family. She lost her mother, Regina, at the beginning of her senior year of high school and her father, David, at the end of the same year. She and her five siblings stayed together on the farm. She graduated from high school, then earned a nursing degree from St. Catherine’s Hospital School of Nursing, Omaha, NE. While working as a nurse, she met William O’Rourke while he was in Creighton Medical School. They married at St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha. For the next several years, she and dad lived in Duluth, then Massachusetts and Detroit, while he completed his medical training, before settling in Austin, MN in 1961 where he worked at the Austin Clinic. They welcomed four children to their marriage and in 1976 they opened their home to foster daughter, Jane Schnirring. The family lived in Austin for 18 years before a move to Rochester for dad’s job at Mayo Clinic in the ENT department.

Mary Ann’s faith was of paramount importance to her. She was active in the St. Pius X parish as: an extraordinary eucharistic minister, a member of Teams of Our Lady and the Immaculate Heart of Mary women’s prayer group. She volunteered at St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester for many years.  At her latest residence, Madonna Towers, she worshiped at Mass and regularly prayed the evening rosary. She enjoyed visits from her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and faithful friends.

Mary Ann is preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 59 years; infant son William; and brothers Jack and Bob.

She is survived by daughter Theresa (David) McGuire, Rochester; foster daughter Jane (Joseph) Rodriguez, Mazeppa; son Joseph (Mary) O’Rourke, Independence, Kansas; son Michael (St. Paul); daughter Gina (Pat) Peschel, Edina.

She took great joy in her grandchildren: Patrick (Paulina) McGuire; Mara and Helen McGuire; Olivia (Max) Faust and Jaye Rodriguez; Maddy and Ian O’Rourke; Jack, Emma and William Peschel; great- grandchildren Elena, Adela and Lidia.

Also survived by sister Joan Brogan and brother Don Dendinger, Omaha, NE; brother Most Reverend William J. Dendinger of Grand Island, Nebraska; many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

A special thanks to all those who befriended and cared for mom at Madonna Towers independent living and skilled nursing facilities; her physician Dr. Mairead Bartley, Melanie Hansen, NP, the spiritual care team, nurses, aides, HomeInstead caregivers, and Mayo Clinic Hospice.

A visitation will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3rd in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home. A rosary service will be held at 7:30 pm.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 4th, at St. Pius X Catholic Church with visitation 30 minutes prior to Mass. Lunch to follow immediately at St. Pius. Private interment at Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to: Madonna Towers Living Community at 4001 19th Ave. NW, Rochester, MN  55901.

Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com.