Mary Stahl, 98
Mary Stahl, 98, formerly of Freeman, S.D., passed away on Nov. 28 at Legends at Lake Lorraine in Sioux Falls, S.D., under Hospice Care. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at Bethany Mennonite Church in Freeman. Visitation will be Friday from 5-7 p.m. at Walter Funeral Home in Freeman.
We celebrate the life of our Aunt Mary M Stahl, age 98, who was born on the family farm west of Freeman on Oct. 23, 1926. She was the fifth of 10 children born to Mike J. and Katharina “Katie” P. (Gross) Stahl. Mary was baptized on Sept. 22, 1946 at the Hutterdorf Mennonite Church, rural Freeman. She was a faithful member of Bethany Mennonite Church in Freeman since 1952.
Aunt Mary graduated from Freeman Academy in 1945. She furthered her education at Freeman Junior College with a teaching certificate. Mary taught her younger brothers Jacob and twins Melvin and Marvin in a one-room rural school (grades 1 to 8). When her brothers acted up, she simply gave them one look and they knew that their father would take care of the matter. While she loved teaching children, her dedication was always to her family. Aunt Mary resigned from teaching to care for her bed-ridden sister Anna, who was diagnosed with MS. She selflessly cared for Anna and her parents until their passing. Mary’s servant life was also evident by the way she cared for her brother Jacob and his children. We are forever grateful for all that she did for us.
Aunt Mary dearly loved all of her brothers and sisters and her 29 nieces and nephews. She lived in a 3-bedroom ranch style home on a corner lot in Freeman from 1961 to 2019. She moved then to Sioux Falls with her brother Jacob, who she had a special bond with. They lived and cared for each other until Thanksgiving Day, when she went home to Heaven. Aunt Mary was never alone, with her brother, nieces and nephews watching over her towards the end. Niece Dorothy assured her, naming all the people that loved her as she passed. We are sure Aunt Mary was thrilled to see her sister Anna walk again in Heaven.
Aunt Mary shared her love through her baking, hand-written cards, and her meal invitations. Her home was filled with laughter, love, and the smell of her baked goods. Some of our favorites are: molasses cookies with red sprinkled sugar, pumpkin pie, homemade noodles, poppy seed schritzel, duck with roasted potatoes, kartoffel knnatul (potato dumplings in heavy cream sauce). One never left her house without playing games — Sorry, Uno, Eye Spy, and Hide and Seek with her favorite being Dominos! Aunt Mary also never let you leave without a big hug and a sack full of cookies and candy.
Aunt Mary was dedicated to her faith. We rejoice in her wish to meet her Lord and Savior. We know that our Aunt is in Heaven today, not because of her good works, but because of her faith in Jesus. Aunt Mary’s laugh was infectious. We cherish the wonderful person that she was and the love she shared. Those remaining with loving memories are: brother Jacob M. Stahl, Sioux Falls; sisters-in-law Judy Stahl, Freeman, and Joann Stahl, Bridgewater; 27 nieces and nephews: Karen (Dennis) Brannan, Garden Grove, Calif.; Dorothy (Roger) Thomas, Bismarck, N.D.; Barry Stahl, Sioux Falls; Brian (Sue) Stahl, Sioux Falls; Michael (Sue) Stahl, Bridgewater, S.D.; Melvin (Debra) Stahl, Daniel (Martha) Stahl, Bridgewater; Kathleen (Randel) Maass, Sioux Falls; Ronald (Carla) Stahl, Robert (Janet) Stahl, Charles (Brenda) Stahl, Kenneth (Anne) Stahl, all from Bridgewater; Donald (Marjorie) Hofer, Priscilla Hofer, Freeman; Ann Marie and (Gene) Reiling, Rapid City, S.D; Carol (Tim) Meyer, Columbus, Ind.; Mark (Karen) Stahl, Kokomo, Ind.; Jeanie (Carter) Nold, Brookings; Jackie Skibine, Salt Lake City, Utah; Marilyn Stahl (Kirk Giseburt), Mercer Island, Wash.; John David Stahl (Darci St. Louis), Bainbridge Island, Wash.; Jacob Michael Stahl (Jeanni), Sioux Falls; Jason Stahl (Courtney), Kansas City, Mo.; Charity Muth (Doug), Sioux Falls; Carmen Kippes (Jason), Sioux Falls; Corey Stahl (Kristi), Freeman; Joshua Stahl, Sioux Falls; and many great and great-great nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents Mike and Katie Stahl; sisters Anna Stahl and Kathryn Hofer; six brothers: Mike, Paul, William, John, Melvin and Marvin Stahl; three sisters-in-law: Hulda Stahl, Diane Stahl and Delores Stahl; and one brother-in-law, Marvin P. Hofer; one niece, Faith Ann; and one nephew, Grant.
