Mary Catherine Levendoski 1926-2006

LEVENDOSKI, THORSTEN, WEBER, GRODECKI, WILLIAMS, PEDERSON, HOUSE, FERRING, HAWES

Posted By: Paul Moritz (email)
Date: 12/6/2010 at 08:11:53

STODDARD, Wis. — Mary Catherine Levendoski, 79, passed away Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006, from complications of pneumonia in Phoenix while spending the winter months with her daughter, Luella and family. She was born Nov. 7, 1926, in Wexford, Iowa, to Helena (Weber) and James W. Thorsten. She was baptized at Immaculate Conception Cath-olic Church in Wexford.
Mary was united in marriage to Harry Dean Levendoski on Oct. 18, 1947, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. He preceded her in death
May 3, 1983. They are survived by their children, Luella (William) Grodecki of Phoenix and Lester Michael (Rose), Harry Dean Jr. (Kathy), Fredrick (Cindy) and Karen, all of Stoddard, and Charles of Black River Falls, Wis. She also is survived by her grandchildren, Kristen (Frank) Williams, Michael (Mamiko) Pederson, Jennifer, Ryan, Jason and Benjamin Levendoski, Nicholas Levendoski, Dana (Eric) Check, Angela, Nathan and Lucas Levendoski, Terry Levendoski (Katie Karcher) and Ellen (Steve) House; four great-grandchildren, Abigail and Joshua Williams, and Macey and Ryan House; one brother, John (Elinor) Thorsten; two sisters, Margaret (Bob) Ferring and Elizabeth Hawes; as well as many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by one brother and sister-in-law, James and Carolyn Thorsten; one brother-in-law, Raymond Hawes; and one son-in-law, Gary Pederson.
Mary attended early grades at May’s Prairie School and Immaculate Conception School in Lansing, Iowa, graduating in 1944. She helped on the family farm, and in September 1945, she began working in La Crosse at the homes of Gene Buckmans, Dr. Leinfelder, John Murray, and Dr. Fox. In December 1947, she and Harry moved to Oak Ridge in rural Stoddard, where they farmed and raised their family. Mary lived with her daughter, Karen, on the farm until the time of her death. In 1992, Mary was proud to host the Vernon County Dairy Breakfast with her children and grandchildren. She was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church in Genoa, the Oak Ridge Homemakers, the Green Acres Homemakers, a leader of the Oak Ridge Badgers 4-H Club for more than 40 years and a charter member of the Stoddard Lioness Club. In 1994, her son Lester Michael honored her with a Melvin Jones Fellow Award for humanitarian service. Mary was also a member of the Stoddard American Legion Auxiliary, a superintendent for the Vernon County Fair and served on the Selective Service Board.
Mary’s greatest joy was her grandchildren. They were an important part of her life and she created many fond memories with all of them, including attending school functions, helping with 4-H projects and celebrating special occasions. In addition to her grandchildren, for the past 14 years, she and her two sisters, Margaret and Liz, have enjoyed annual winter trips to Phoenix, spending time together with her oldest daughter, Luella, and her family. There, they took pleasure in attending dinner theatres, touring model homes, light gambling at the horse track and playing euchre while sipping strawberry daiquiris. She always looked forward to fried zucchini and Chinese food in Arizona. Mary also enjoyed afternoon walks on the farm with the dogs and collecting memories of her family’s history. We will especially remember the notes written on her plastic tablecloths, notes pinned to the kitchen curtains, and then finally . . . filed in the cake pan. We love you!!
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at St. Charles Catholic Church in Genoa, Wis., with burial at Riverside Cemetery. Friends may call the family from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Woodruff-Jandt Funeral Home, 4239 Mormon Coulee Road,
La Crosse. There will be a rosary recited at 7:30 p.m. Friends also may call on the family at the church one hour before the Mass. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to St. Charles Catholic Church and Stoddard Lions/ Lioness.
LaCrosse, WI Tribune Obituaries for Tuesday, January 24, 2006