Mary Ellen Duchow Ngo returned home to Heaven on Sunday, August 3, 2025, after a brief but intense battle with kidney-related sepsis. She was 69 years old.

Born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on September 20, 1955, Mary grew up in Chilton, where she lived on her parent's family farm on Killsnake Road. Upon graduation from Hilbert High School in 1973, she attended the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point. After getting married to Luke Ngo and having their first child in 1975, Mary moved to Houston, Texas, where she and her husband would have two more children, and where she remained until her death. Each summer, however, was spent back home in Wisconsin, visiting her beloved parents and a vibrant network of family and friends.

If you knew Mary at all, you knew several things about her: She loved her children and grandchildren, Indian food, and the Green Bay Packers. Mom's love of football was famous in our family. She was a proud owner of Green Bay Packers stock, and watched the games faithfully, from pre-season to the playoffs. She relished any opportunity to chat about the team and its prospects with anyone who showed interest (and some who didn't). Mom showed her love for the team in many ways, including Packers-themed watch bands, license plate frames, and other gear that proclaimed her support. Like her heart, she wore her love for the Packers on her sleeve, and her enthusiastic adoration was infectious. When Mom loved something or someone, she made sure you knew it. And we are so grateful to her for living that example of loving out loud, and with excitement and passion.

When our family had a special occasion to celebrate, we often chose to gather over Indian food. It made sense to us that Mom enjoyed it, since the complexity of the spices and flavors mirrored her own depth and uniqueness. The breadth of Mom's life experience was striking – she grew up in the rural Midwest, married someone from a different country, moved to a major metropolitan area, and learned to speak another language to better love and understand her extended family. Mom lived a life that demonstrated to us how beautiful it could be to have a diversity of experiences. If variety is truly the spice of life, Mom's was well seasoned.

Most of all, though, Mom's life was spent in service to others and showcasing her deep and abiding love for her family. Whether we as her children were school-aged and needed to take cupcakes to school for a bake sale, or were in college and dubious about what to study and how to structure the beginnings of our careers, or newly married and needed advice on building a loving foundation with our partners, or freshly parents and in desperate need of guidance on how to raise our children – Mom was always there. She showered her grandchildren (who lovingly called her Nana) with snuggles and affection, and all of us have so many wonderful memories of her to comfort us.

Mary is preceded in death by her former husband Luke Ngo, her brother-in-law John Ngo, parents Bennie and Esther Duchow, her dear aunt Frena Pagel, and other precious family members.

Mary is survived by her children Jennifer Ngo Mohtashami (and husband Vafa), David Ngo (and wife Denise), and Jonathan Ngo. Her beloved grandchildren are Bennett (whom Mary called "Ben-Ben"), Mia ("Lovebug"), and Maisie ("Maisie-May") Mohtashami. She is also survived by numerous Ngo family members, including Bernadette Ngo Huynh (and husband John), Mary Minhha Ngo (and her children Christopher [and wife Sonya, daughter Gabrielle], Christine, Matthew [and wife Jennifer], and Nicolas), and Gabriel Ngo (and friend Kristen Guerrero).

The family will receive friends at Peevey Funeral Home, Sunday, August 10, from 3:00pm until 4:00pm, The Celebration of Life will follow at 4:00pm.