- Date Of Birth: September 3, 1926
- Date Of Death: February 21, 2016
- State: Indiana
Dr. Mary Grace Del Torto Ludwig passed away peacefully in her home on Sunday, February 21, 2016. She was 89 years old. Family and friends were by her side.
Mary Grace was born to Nicholas and Elizabeth (Turso) Del Torto on September 3, 1926 in Harrison, New York. She grew up in the neighboring town of Port Chester in a close knit Italian family. She graduated from Port Chester High School in January of 1944 and enrolled in the College of New Rochelle that same month. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1947, she quickly found work in a chemistry lab at Memorial Hospital in New York City. She then worked at Sloan-Kettering Institute in cancer research. Her work led her to the University of Virginia where she attended medical school and met her husband and fellow classmate, Paul Ludwig. They were married on June 15, 1957 and graduated medical school together the following year. From there she went to Kansas City for and internship in pediatrics and worked at Children’s Mercy Hospital. Eventually the couple moved to Crawfordsville where Paul began practice as an ophthalmologist and Mary began her career as a pediatrician for the Well Baby Clinic, volunteering her services for the community’s families in need. “Dr. Mary” as she was affectionately known by her patients, received many awards for her years of service. She was named Montgomery County citizen of the year in 1972, Rotary International Fellow in 1981, Indiana Jefferson award in 1983, an Honorary Doctor of Human Letters from Wabash College in 1984, a Sagamore of the Wabash in 2007 and State of Indiana Resolution 52 honoring Dr. Mary Grace Ludwig for her selfless devotion to making her community a better place to live. She served on many boards including the Youth Service Bureau, The Family Crisis Shelter, and Christian Nursing Service to name a few. She was an active member in P.E.O chapter BE and a member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church.
Mary Grace is survived by her devoted husband, Dr. Paul Ludwig. Her four children, son Will (Kay) Ludwig of Franklin, and three daughters, Julie (Dan) Bergfors of Crawfordsville, Wendy (Kevin) Brogioli of Wareham, MA, and Amy (John) McCormick of Columbus, IN. And eleven grandchildren Noah Ludwig, Amy (Sean) Mussey, Nick, Sam, and Mary Grace Brogioli, Michael, Madeline and Maria Demeter, Jacqueline, Sara and Julia Vanderkolk.
She was preceded in death by her sister Madeline Reilly and a grandson Matthew Demeter.
