Margaret Mary Landherr

Margaret Mary Landherr, 84, of Belvidere, IL, passed away Saturday, January 10, 2026, surrounded by her family, at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, IL. She was born on September 18, 1941, in Hammond, Indiana. The daughter of Aloysius and Mary (Wachowiak) Ciciora. She attended St. Victor Catholic School in Calumet City, Illinois. Margaret married Lester P. Landherr on December 29, 1962, in Calumet City. She was a devout Catholic and a member of St. James Catholic Church in Belvidere.

Margaret had a varied career as both an office and a manufacturing worker, with her last and longest job being one performing order entry at Spraying Systems, Inc., in Wheaton, IL. She taught CCD for several years at Saint Luke Catholic Church in Carol Stream, IL, where she and her children were members. After recovering from a life-threatening infection in 2010, she moved permanently to Belvidere, returning weekly to Maple Crest Assisted Living to lead a group of residents in praying the rosary. After the COVID lockdown, she started praying the rosary weekly with a group in Rockford, who became wonderful friends.

Margaret found joy in life’s simple and meaningful pleasures. Cooking traditional Polish food was one of her greatest passions, and her kitchen was a place of warmth and love. She adored old movies, often staying up late into the night watching her favorites. With loving hands, she crocheted baby blankets in anticipation of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren—blankets that are still treasured today. Margaret loved attending performances by the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and was an avid Chicago Cubs fan, faithfully following the team through every season. She also had a fondness for collecting animatronic stuffed animals, delighting in watching young visitors pull them from the shelf, press the button, and laugh as they sang and danced. A devoted BINGO player, she was famously skilled at keeping track of multiple cards at once, a talent that brought her both pride and enjoyment.

Margaret is loved and will be missed by her children, Steven Landherr, Cynthia Chestnut, Theresa (Roger Kohls) Landherr, Victoria Landherr; son-in-law, Peter Sciortino; grandchildren,  Tara (Jake) Kuebler, Jordan Harris, Cori (Mike) Walker, Hope Kohls, Shawntay Sciortino, Peter “P.J.” Sciortino, Anthony “Tony” Sciortino, Logan Sciortino, Kayden Frazier, Kingston Kyles, Kh’Leese Kyles; great-grandchildren, Vivian Kuebler, Murphy Walker, Hendrix Walker, Lucy Kuebler; sister, Elizabeth Demkowicz. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Lester; brother, Jerome Ciciora; sister, Helen Sullivan; daughter, Karen Sciortino; granddaughter, Kennedy Landherr; son-in-laws, David Chestnut and Robert McKellar.

There will be a visitation Monday, January 19, 2026, from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the Belvidere Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Belvidere, IL. A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at St. James Catholic Church in Belvidere, IL. Interment in St. James Catholic Cemetery in Belvidere, IL. In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to the American Heart Association, or the Rockford Rescue Mission. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.belviderefh.com.