Vivian M. Krotz, age 100, who was a retired bookkeeper, talented artist, devoted member of the Bloomingdale Garden Club, and beloved "Aunt Viv" to four generations of the Wegner family, died Thursday, October 27, 2022, in the home where she had lived since 1958.
Vivian Martha Niemann was born June 7, 1922, the only child of Stephanie (Daisy) and Walter Niemann. She grew up in Melrose Park, IL, surrounded by uncles, aunts, grandparents and other extended family. She attended the St. Paul Lutheran School and was a lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Melrose Park, where she was baptized, confirmed, and married.
On June 13, 1942, she married Gilbert Krotz, who shared her birthday, being exactly one year older. Housing was scarce during World War II, so the newlyweds at first lived in an apartment created out of her grandmother's attic, dividing the space with sheets hung from the ceiling. Later, Gilbert Krotz's friend Albert "Red" Wegner suggested the couple consider renting an upstairs apartment in the Maywood home of his brother and sister-in-law, Clarence and Arlene Wegner. The Krotzes moved into the apartment and became part of the Wegner family, a close association that continued the rest of their lives.
Mrs. Krotz worked as a bookkeeper for 35 years, 20 of them with Joseph E. Krass Mutual Bookkeeping in Melrose Park. At Mr. Krass' suggestion, the Krotz's toured some houses under construction in a muddy field in Bloomingdale and became early homeowners in the Suncrest Highlands subdivision in 1958.
Mrs. Krotz was a member of the Christian Women's Club for many years and held various offices in the West Suburban Professional Women's Club. One of her biggest loves was the Bloomingdale Garden Club, of which she was an active member for decades.
Mrs. Krotz enjoyed oil painting and was a talented artist whose work decorated her home. She and her husband enjoyed traveling and visiting with friends and extended family. They were married for 39 years before Mr. Krotz's death of a heart attack in 1981.
Over the years, Mrs. Krotz attended recitals, graduations and weddings of the Wegner children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was always at the family's Thanksgiving and Christmas tables and family reunions. All the Wegners could count on a birthday or anniversary card from "Aunt Viv" each year, and the younger kids also received cards on holidays like Valentine's Day, Easter and Halloween.
Mrs. Krotz had a sharp mind and lived alone in her own home until the very end of her life. The oldest Wegner child, Gloria Yarbrough, cared for her as any loving daughter would, especially in later years when Mrs. Krotz could no longer drive. After Mrs. Yarbrough died in 2017, her husband Jerry became Mrs. Krotz's honorary "next of kin" with the continued love and support of Lee Wegner and his wife Elizabeth, who live in Kentucky but called nightly when they weren't visiting Mrs. Krotz in person.
The celebration of Mrs. Krotz's 100th birthday last June drew friends from several states. The Bloomingdale Garden Club brought 100 roses and a crowd to sing Happy Birthday. The Village of Bloomingdale and Bloomingdale Township both issued proclamations in her honor.
Mrs. Krotz was preceded in death by her father; her mother, whom she cared for until her death at age 99; her beloved husband, Gilbert; and her cherished friend Gloria Yarbrough. Survivors include her longtime neighbors Bruce and Laura Hansford and Mark Carter, beloved friends across the country and dozens of her Wegner family. The family would like to thank Cathy Maropolous, Mrs. Krotz's special caregiver the last year.
A visitation for Vivian will be held Saturday, November 5, 2022 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Chapel Hill Gardens West Funeral Home, 17w201 Roosevelt Road, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, followed by the funeral service at 4:00 PM. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to:
JourneyCare Hospice
Hope Foundation
2050 Claire Court
Glenview, IL 60025
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ChapelHillGardensWest.com for the Krotz family.
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