MaryAnn "Mar" Kobb

MaryAnn D. “Mar” Kobb (née DeBarbera), age 76 of Joliet, IL, passed away peacefully at Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care on April 10, 2026. MaryAnn was born to her father John DeBarbera and mother Dolores DeBarbera (née Doctor) in Joliet on October 29, 1949.

MaryAnn was raised and educated in Lockport, IL. She developed an early passion for doing hair, which led her to attend beauty school. For more than 50 years, she was not just a hairstylist but a trusted listener and devoted friend. Her chair became a place of transformation, both inside and out. She was a mentor in the truest sense of the word, especially to her two sisters. She loved exploring distant realms through fantasy novels, finding wisdom in historical stories, placing that final piece of a 1000-piece puzzle, or paging through cookbooks cover to cover. She approached life with determination and vision, always believing there was more to learn and more love to give, a belief exemplified by her graduation from Joliet Junior College with a degree in Culinary Arts.

A phenomenal cook turned Certified Chef, she transformed meals into memories and recipes into family traditions. She fed people in every sense of the word. Family was her greatest pride. She showed up fully and without hesitation for those she loved, embracing both her blood relatives and the family she built along the way. Her love for color and statement pieces reflected both her joy for life and her natural confidence. She was a deeply supportive partner, offering a safe space while also serving as a true North Star, grounding her life with Bruce with unwavering love and devotion.

While her friends and family find peace in knowing she is no longer in pain, her passing is a profound tragedy and an immeasurable loss. We have lost a remarkable woman, and she will be deeply missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents John and Delores and her sister Louise Irelan.

She is survived by her husband of 52 years Bruce J. Kobb; Her daughters Rosiland (Robert) Wittenkeller and Lindsey (Adam) Troy; her grandsons Chris (Meghan) Thorson and Jackson Troy; her great grandchildren Cade and Landon Thorson; her sister Patricia DeBarbera; her nieces Dina Maddox, Lauren Scott, and Lisa Engle; her nephew Tim Cook; and her great niece Kristine Kruggel. Numerous extended family members, friends, and other loved ones also survive.

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer that any donations offered in MaryAnn’s memory be directed to either the American Diabetes Association at American Diabetes Association">American Diabetes Association or to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org.

Funeral Services were held privately by MaryAnn’s loving family prior to cremation rites being accorded. Her Earthly remains will be inurned at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Joliet, IL at a later date. Arrangements were entrusted to Tezak’s Home to Celebrate Life, 1211 Plainfield Rd. Joliet, IL 60435