Deb Dendler


Deb Dendler passed away on 9/23/2020 after a long battle with breast cancer, two days
before what would have been her 70th birthday. She was born in Chicago in 1950 to Inez (Bon)
Burrows and John Wenner, the middle of three daughters. Her family moved frequently and
eventually settled in a suburb of New York City. She was passionate about (and talented in) the
visual arts, poetry and dancing and had drawn and painted all her life. Deb trained in both
painting and sculpture at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

She moved to Door County, Wisconsin in 1979, married, and had two children. She
raised them as a single mom after a divorce. She made sculpture, worked at local restaurants,
taught at the Peninsula School of Art, completed her bachelor’s degree, and was an active
member of the Moravian community.

Deb reconnected with Kalman Reti, a lifelong friend, in 1996. Deb and Kalman moved to
Newton, MA that summer. She returned to Wisconsin in the summer to sculpt and work. Deb
and Kalman were married in 2019.

Deb was immensely proud of her children and took great joy in spending time with them
and her grandchildren. In spite of numerous trials, such as her sister’s death from cancer, one
granddaughter’s successful battle with leukemia, and multiple recurrences of her own cancer,
she remained hopeful and optimistic. She left the world a finer, more beautiful place than she
found it.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her older sister Judy. She is survived by
her husband Kalman Reti, her son Tony (Amanda) Burrows, daughter Megan Dendler,
grandchildren Ada, Emma, William, Charlie, and Mia, her sister Elizabeth Block, and many
nieces and nephews.

There will be a virtual remembrance on 10/04, please email
DebDendlerVirtualFuneral@gmail.com to indicate interest and receive details.
To appreciate some of Deb’s artwork, you can visit her webpage at Deb Dendler Art.

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7 Condolences

  1. Peg on September 28, 2020 at 12:25 pm

    “….she remained hopeful and optimistic. She left the world a finer, more beautiful place than she found it.”

    She enriched and inspired all those who knew her. I am so very sorry for your loss. love



  2. Cindi Wallace on September 28, 2020 at 1:02 pm

    A quiet, self assuming, inordinately talented and gifted artist. A fighter for so long. And she could make a great cheese platter for a Christmas party…. She and her simple presence will be missed.

    So very sorry for your loss Kal, Tony and Megan.

    Love, Cindi and Gary



  3. Linda Neeck Smith and Dave Smith on September 28, 2020 at 1:04 pm

    Deb is a “sister of my heart”. In the early days when Tony and Meg were little, they were our next door neighbors in Door County. How we loved them all as our own. We saw how many years Deb valiantly fought cancer. She remains our hero. We enjoyed many hours together. She truly shared her life with us. We will miss this wonderful soul. Our deep condolences to her family.



  4. Janice Dumas on September 28, 2020 at 7:33 pm

    Deb was the most courageous woman i have ever met! The time I spent at Hilton Head walking the beach with her i never heard her say why me ,she just wanted to enjoy the time she had left with her family!! RIP Deb .



  5. Sally Jacobson on October 3, 2020 at 12:47 pm

    Deb was an inspiration, always positive and appreciative of her family and friends.
    Her children and grandchildren were the light of her life, and we who were blessed to be her friends could only be amazed at her courage, drive and talent. I will miss her friendship more than I can say. Peace to you, Deb



  6. Paul Sterrenberg on October 3, 2020 at 7:59 pm

    I was deeply saddened to hear of Deb’s passing. I knew her as a really good friend, a tremendously talented artist, a great cook and a wonderful conversationalist usually having an opinion. I admired all those things about her. My deepest sympathy goes out to her children and grandchildren. She was proud of you all. She is at peace now and therefore, I am too.
    I’ll miss you Deb.



  7. Paul Sterrenberg on October 3, 2020 at 8:07 pm

    I was deeply saddened to hear of Debs passing. I knew her as a really good friend, a tremendously talented artist, a great cook and a wonderful conversationalist usually having an opinion. I admired all those things about her.
    My deepest sympathy goes out to her children and grandchildren. She was proud of you all.
    She is at peace now and therefore, I am too.

    I’ll miss you Deb.



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