Andersen, Mary Ann (1939-2019)

ANDERSEN, MCCAULEY, MINDEN, ROGENESS, JOHANNSEN, BAXTER, MCKNIGHT, RYTKONEN

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 7/26/2019 at 18:12:28

Mary Ann Andersen
June 30, 1939 - April 24, 2019

Mary Ann Andersen died on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, at the age of 79 at the Westview Care Center in Britt, Iowa.

Mary Ann Andersen was born on June 30, 1939, in Decorah, Iowa, to Hubert Leo and Ruth Cherel (Minden) McCauley. In 1941, the family moved to Elkader, Iowa. Mary Ann attended Catholic schools in Elkader, Decorah, and Eagle Grove, and public schools in New Haven, Connecticut, and Forest City, Iowa. Named by the faculty as Outstanding Girl of the Class, she graduated from Forest City High School in 1957. Then, she attended Clarke College in Dubuque for one and a half years.

On April 23, 1960, she married Richard Rogeness. Subsequently, four children were born to them: Gary Allen, Sheila Ann, Swen Joseph, and Steven James. In 1970, however, Richard and Mary Ann divorced. Then, she married Lorny Andersen on September 3, 1988. Moreover, she completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology at the University of Minnesota, Mankato, 1991, at the age of 51.

Over the years, Mary Ann worked for the McCauley Studio, the Forest Theater, Johnson Drug, Morris Insurance, the Palace of Sweets, Laminated Pins, Inc, the Forest City School District, the Coachman Trailer Company, of Vacaville, California, the Forest City Chamber of Commerce, the Forest City Treatment Center, Prairie Ridge Addiction and Treatment Services, and Woden-Crystal Lake School/City of Crystal Lake. In 1988, she retired from Winnebago Industries after thirteen years of service.

An active member of St. James Catholic Church, Forest City, Mary Ann served as an organist for nearly sixty-five years. She directed the St. James Shola Cantorum and worked with other church ministries and committees as well (co-chaired the Guild, chaired the Liturgy Committee, taught 8th Grade CCD, and served as sacristan and lector). Commissioned a Lay Leader of Prayer after completing the Dubuque Archdiocesan Lay Ministry Foundation Program in 1996, she led the Rosary and Stations of the Cross among other devotional practices.

She cherished the special memories of her trips to Alaska, Rome, and Hawaii; her day trips with her grandkids when they were young; and attending their sporting, 4H, speech, and music activities. Moreover, she treasured spending time with Our Lord in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and she counted as special privileges attending sacred liturgy conferences in Chicago and St. Paul. Other activities she enjoyed were music, reading, cooking, photography, needlework, crossword puzzles (in ink!), connecting with family and friends on Facebook, writing poetry and song parodies, and bantering with anyone, especially Lorny.

Mary Ann is survived by her husband of more than 30 years, Lorny D. Andersen, of Crystal Lake; her children: Gary Allen (Michelle) Rogeness, of Oslo, Norway, Sheila Ann Rogeness, of Sioux City, Swen Joseph Rogeness, of Florida, and Steven James Rogeness, Forest City; her grandchildren: Kerri (Dan) Johannsen, of Des Moines, Sara (Brian) Baxter, of Kansas City, Missouri, Brandon Rogeness, of Phoenix, Arizona, Christopher Rogeness, of San Diego, California, Parker Rogeness, Forest City, Shauna McKnight, of Portland, Oregon, Nicholas Rogeness, of Birmingham Alabama, and Levi Rogeness, of Ames Iowa; her great grandson, Milo James Johannsen; her sisters, Martha E. McCauley, of Redlands, California, and Sara (John) Rytkonen, of Sulpher, Louisiana; along with nieces, nephews, cousins, as well as all the members of Lorny’s family, whom she loved very much. Those preceding her in death include her parents; her brothers: Joey, Bob, and Mark; her sister-in-law, Lilia; and her parents-in-laws, Stanley and Mary Andersen.

Special thanks are offered to her parents along with the many priests, Presentation, BVM, Benedictine, and Dominican Sisters, and parish communities, all who formed her in the Catholic faith. Please direct memorials for Masses to St. James Catholic Church, Forest City, Iowa, in gratitude for the gifts of sobriety (since 1984) and freedom from nicotine (since 2001). Thank you, God!

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for the repose of her soul at St. James Catholic Church, Forest City, Iowa 50436, on Friday, May 10, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. A memorial visitation is scheduled in Cigrand Hall, St. James Church, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 9, 2019, preceded by a recitation of the Rosary led by the Knights of Columbus at 4:30 p.m. with a Scripture Wake Service to follow. Visitation will continue at the church for one hour before the funeral mass.

Cataldo Schott Funeral Home, Forest City, Iowa, 2019.

Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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