Hudecek, Mary Ann (DeWalle) 1936 - 2022
HUDECEK, DEWALLE, WACHA, MORAN, GALLERANI, SHIPLEY, TAPPIN, SPARKS, RIHA
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:20
Formerly of CRESCO - Mary Ann Hudecek, age 86, of Columbus, Ind., passed away on Sept. 21, 2022, at Hooverwood Living Nursing Home in Indianapolis after a long illness.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 26, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Columbus, with Fr. Clem Davis officiating. Visitation will be from 3-6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25, at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Life’s Journey Hospice or Holy Trinity Catholic Church through the funeral home. Send a message of condolence via the funeral website at www.jewellrittman.com.
Mary Ann was born on May 29, 1936, in Cresco, Iowa, the oldest of five children of the late Orvie and Helen (Wacha) DeWalle. She grew up on a farm and rarely knew a day without hard work - often holding down two jobs throughout her life.
She graduated from Notre Dame High School in Cresco and trained at the American Floral Art School in Chicago. She and John Hudecek married on June 4, 1956 and moved to Columbus in 1963. While raising their family, Mary Ann worked in retail and also was an office manager in mental health.
She was a skilled florist with a keen eye for color and composition. She owned her own flower shop (Flowers by Mary Ann) and continued creating stunning floral arrangements for decades after she sold it.
She was active in the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary, the local chapter of the American Association of Medical Assistants, Sertoma Club and Volunteers in Medicine. She sang and volunteered at several Catholic churches, most recently at Holy Trinity parish in Edinburgh.
But her true love was hosting dinners and parties — any reason to get together with family and friends. Thanksgiving dinners were legendary at the Hudecek household. One year, the banquet had 27 dishes.
She and John, her beloved husband of 57 years, were the first on the dance floor and the last to leave, especially if Elvis was singing. They liked nothing better than attending the kids’ and grandkids’ and great-grandkids far-flung activities — from concerts and Off-Broadway shows to football games and cross country meets. They reveled in their role as Band Booster presidents and brought a sense of humor and spirit of generosity to all their endeavors.
In Mary Ann, a truer, more devoted and giving friend could not be found.
She is survived by daughters, Karla Hudecek (Malcolm Moran) of Zionsville, Ind. and Kellie (Mark) Gallerani of Greensboro, N.C.; son, Eric (Kim Shipley) of Indianapolis; daughter-in-law, Cindy Hudecek of Columbus; brothers, David DeWalle of Marion, Iowa and Tom DeWalle (Wendy Toyama) of Chapel Hill, N.C.; brother-in-law, Jerry Hudecek of Mason City, Iowa; grandchildren, Kristen (Stephen) Shipley of Columbus; Michael Hudecek of Portland, Ore., Allison Gallerani (Matt Tappin) of San Francisco, Calif., Ryan Gallerani of Chicago, Ill., Anna Gallerani of Durham, N.C., Erica Gallerani of Los Angeles, Calif., Grant Moran of Chicago and T.J. Moran of Bloomington, nd.; and two great-granddaughters, Mary and Frances Sparks of Columbus.
In addition to her parents, Mary Ann was preceded by her husband, John Hudecek in 2014; cherished son, Ed Hudecek; brother, Steve DeWalle; sister, Marlene Riha; brothers-in-law, Martin and Frank Hudecek; and great-nephew, Elliott Marlowe DeWalle.Source: Cresco Times Sept. 23, 2022
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