Mary Beth Gadus

Mary Beth (Stuart) Gadus, 63, passed away August 6, 2016 following a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. She was born in Hammond, Indiana, raised in Terre Haute, and lived in Indianapolis since 1974.

Mary Beth was a proud Purdue University graduate and member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She received a degree in interior design. Soon after, she met her lifelong love, Mike Gadus, whom she married in 1979. MB was good at many things. She balanced being the mother of two young boys, working full time, starting a business, and facing a diagnosis of breast cancer at the young age of 35. For over 28 years, MB defied the odds, rewrote the definition of survivor, and exemplified with grace and hope what it took to live your life with cancer, while watching her sons grow and become wonderful, hard working young adults. Last year she was blessed with a grandson – MJ made her life fuller than she ever imagined.

She worked at Oxford Development for 20 years which led her to start her own business, Preferred Quarters. After her successful business career, MB was able to devote all of her time to her main passion in life – helping others. Whether it be family and friends’ interior design projects, volunteering, or fundraising, MB chose to live her life supporting organizations and people that meant the most to her. Using her keen eye for style, she helped numerous friends decorate their homes with her uncanny knack for choosing just the right paint color. She loved a project and was at her best when the ideas in her mind kept coming as she formulated an exciting vision for a special event or place. Her enthusiasm for life and positive attitude were infectious, which is evident by the impact she had on the lives of her family and friends. To know her was to love her.

The Gadus family has enjoyed a cottage on Lake Wawasee and quickly became friends with many lakers. She relished boat rides, dinner at the Owl, and parties at the Frog. From May through October, her favorite spot was on her pier at Cedar Point. Come winter, MB was excited to see her Florida friends. In ten short years, those people touched her life in a profound way and it was as if they had been friends all her life. That is the way it was with MB – new friends were old friends, and old friends were forever friends.

In 2008, Mary Beth started an organization called 100 Voices of Hope with the goal of raising money to eradicate metastatic breast cancer. Every year, the organization raised $100,000 or more to fund research at the IU Simon Cancer Center, last year reaching over $1 million in cumulative money raised. She worked tirelessly to bring hope to survivors, and inspired the doctors and researchers who treated and worked with her.
Additionally, MB was on the Board of Directors for the Walther Cancer Foundation and the Advisory Board for Purdue’s Center for Cancer Research.

Mary Beth is survived by her husband Mike, sons Michael (Caitlin) and Matthew; grandson, MJ; sister, Lynn Alexander (Dale); sister-in-law Nancy Connolly (John); many nieces and nephews, and three brothers. She is predeceased by her parents, Peter and Mary Ann Stuart, her in-laws, Michael and Theresa Gadus, and of course her faithful dog, Nellie, whom she loved dearly.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, August 13, 2016, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 10655 Haverstick Road. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday, August 12, 2016, at the church as well on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Mass.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to IU Simon Cancer Center for metastatic breast cancer research. Make checks payable to IU Foundation and mail to IUF, P.O. Box 7072, Indianapolis, IN 46207-7072. Indicate “In Memory of Mary Beth Gadus” on memo line. You may also make donations online at cancer.iu.edu/giving. Please check 100 Voices of Hope and in memory of “MBG”.

Arrangements entrusted to Flanner and Buchanan – Carmel.

Please visit the following links to read more about Mary Beth and her recognitions.

IU Cornerstone Award

IndyStar Article

Cancer Center Article

100 Voices of Hope