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Service Information Mary Louise Neumann (Nee Stone) |
Visitation: Monday, February 10, from 10 - 11 am at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church followed by the funeral service at 11 am Service: 11 am Monday, February 10, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 1213 52nd St. SE, Kentwood, MI Cemetery: Calvary Cemetery, Quincy, Illinois Memorials: Breton Extended Care Center, please make check or money order out to Breton Extended Care and cc that the purpose of the check is for donation to be mailed directly to BEC at the address: 2589 44th St SE, Grand Rapids MI, 49512 |
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Mary Louise Neumann (nee Stone), age 95, of Kentwood, MI passed away quietly and peacefully on Sunday morning, February 2, 2025, at the Breton Extended Care Center that was her home for the preceding 18 months. Mary was born on December 5, 1929, in Quincy, IL to Lestor and Leona (Bickhaus) Stone. She attended St. Francis Elementary School and graduated from Quincy Central High School in 1947. In her professional life Mary contributed to the workforce as an office assistant finishing this career with her retirement from Packaging Corporation of America. This was work that she liked to say she enjoyed and was good at. On September 13, 1952, she and Lawrence “Bud” Neumann were united in marriage at St. Francis Solanus Church in Quincy. After a brief residence in Kalamazoo, MI, they settled in Quincy where their three boys were born. In 1970, they returned to Michigan to live near Grand Rapids where Bud pursued a work-related transfer. Mary and Bud became early members of the newly established St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Kentwood where they were volunteers and active participants in parish life for over 50 years. In retirement Mary and Bud engaged in many volunteer activities including with John Ball Zoo as visitor guides, with the American Red Cross, and with the Kentwood Police assisting with archival work. For many summers they volunteered as hosts for various public campgrounds. Following Bud’s death, after 57 years of marriage, Mary continued to care for her many friends and social engagements. She loved playing bridge, meeting with others for golf, and exercising at the health club. To thank all of her many friends, she hosted her 90th birthday party while still able to do so at age 89. With declining health, Mary moved to Breton Woods Terrace where she added to her lifelong list of friends establishing new acquaintances and friendships. In 2023, she moved again to assisted living on the Holland Homes campus. With each new insult of failing health Mary adjusted to new restrictions imposed upon her ferocious love for independence. With an ever-grateful attitude toward life, she revealed her lifelong resilience and a capacity for realistic adaptation to all challenges that came her way. Her sons are certain that she timed her death to fall as it did on Bud’s 98th birthday, aware of her most important friendship to the end. What a wonderful birthday present for Bud it was, as she passed from this world into the next no doubt taking his hand and being led into heaven. Mary will be lovingly remembered by her sons and their wives, Mark (Mary Oldenburg) Neumann, Gregory (Annette) Neumann, and Jeffrey (Rita) Neumann; seven grandchildren, Jacob Neumann, Mark (Nancy) Neumann, Kevin (Jennifer) Neumann, Kelsey (Bryan) Todd, Nicole (Justin) Baker, Greta Becker, and Sam (Jade) Becker; eight great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; her sister-in-law, Ruth Scharnhorst of Quincy; and her most faithful bridge player buddy and friend of over 50 years, Denise Gatchel, who met with her online to throw a few Bridge hands at her last game played the week before death. The family will greet visitors from 10 - 11 am on Monday, February 10, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church,1213 52nd Street SE, where a Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11 am with Father Peter Vu as celebrant. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery in Quincy. In lieu of sending flowers Mary’s family wishes to recommend contributions be made to Breton Extended Care Center for special activities of benefit to her last friends and neighbors where she died. Make check or money order out to Breton Extended Care and cc that the purpose of the check is for donation to be mailed directly to BEC at the address: 2589 44th St SE, Grand Rapids MI, 49512. |
STROO FUNERAL HOME
1095 68TH ST SE
GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49508
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