Maria Wendt (nee Palumbo), 78, of Willow Valley Retirement Community, formerly of Middletown, DE and Pasadena, MD died on April 26, 2020 after a long bout with dementia.

She was married to Fred D. Wendt for 57 years (Oct 1962) and had three children DuWayne Wendt married to Allison Wendt (nee Pence); David Wendt married to Laurie Wendt (nee Martinek) and Diane Stewart (nee Wendt) married to Matthew Stewart. Her mother Veronica (Polcha), father Joseph Palumbo, brother Joseph and sister Gloria preceded her in death. She is survived by her brother Jim, her husband, three children and six grandchildren: Rainah Wendt, Hayley Wendt, Joey Wendt, Benjamin Wendt, Beatrice Stewart and Charlie Stewart.

Maria was an extremely gifted person. She made many of her own and children's clothing, her own and daughter's wedding dresses; quilts, dolls, and doll clothing. She also made English bobbin lace for many years and taught this skill to others. In the later years she grew fond of painting and attended classes for several years; painting many portraits that currently hang in all her families' living rooms. She also was a faithful member of several different churches; made vestments and altar cloths, baptism garments, sang in a contemporary choir and participated with others in cleaning the church weekly. She travelled extensively throughout her married life all over the world and all 50 states. She enjoyed living in London with her husband for three years and travelled all over Europe while there. In addition to being a mother, grandmother, crafter and housewife she worked as a beautician and a medical receptionist.

Maria was deeply devoted to her husband and her children and would often put her own needs aside to make others comfortable. She took her sister and her husband's youngest sister into her home when they were going through tough times in their lives and was a faithful friend to many of her neighbors. All who knew her before she contracted dementia were attracted to her graciousness, good humor, smile and general disposition, and even those who cared for her during her devastating illness in the last several years of her life were very fond of her. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Maria's Mass of Christian Burial will be scheduled for later this summer at St. Philip The Apostle Catholic Church. Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to Hospice & Community Care 685 Good Drive Lancaster, PA 17604-4125 or Willow Valley Communities Foundation Memorial Fund for Maria Wendt 100 Willow Valley Lakes Dr. Willow Street, PA 17584.