Obit: Gelhaus, Mary Patricia (1945 - 2019?)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Burns, Gelhaus, Hamm, Leidig, Schwieso

----Source: The Star News (Medford, WI) 2/08/2019

Gelhaus, Mary Patricia (1 FEB 1944 - 2019?)

Mary Patricia Gelhaus, born on Feb. 19, 1941, was the first child of Arthur Francis and Lucille (Schwieso) Gelhaus.

She grew up in Medford with 11 other siblings, Sally, Carol, Jane, Nick, Laura, Susan, Peter, Chuck, Donna, Mark and Bob. She attended Holy Rosary School, Medford High School and a secretarial college in Minneapolis, Minn. During college she met James Hamm, whom she married on Feb. 11, 1960. They had four children, Jon Hamm (Elaine) of Charlotte, N.C., Joan Burns of Oak Island, N.C., Kathy Leidig of Circle Pines, Minn. and Tom Hamm (Kim) of Lino Lakes, Minn. Mary loved being with her seven grandchildren. They enjoyed baking and cooking together, doing crafts, gardening and playing games. She enriched their lives and they enriched hers.

During her life she worked at various companies, GAF, Festival Foods, Electric Machinery, etc. She made frequent trips to Medford to spend time with her extended family, celebrating holidays and the many special events of a large family. Mary loved to travel, spending time at the beach in South Carolina with her sisters, visiting her son and family in North Carolina and sightseeing in the United States with friends. A highlight of her travels was a trip to Germany in 2006, where she enjoyed experiencing the food, culture and sites of her German heritage.

Mary did a variety of crafts, especially crocheting, and often gave hand towels, afghans, scarfs and other items to friends and families. She crocheted lap blankets for a local senior citizens center. Mary loved to cook and bake and often surprised her neighbors with baked goods such as cinnamon rolls or a delicious soup or stew. Mary will be remembered fondly by friends and family.

The family is planning a celebration of life in Medford, where her ashes will be interred in the Gelhaus family plot.

Any notes of remembrance can be sent to Tom Hamm, 294 Elm Street, Lino Lakes, MN 55014, or monetary donations can be given to the family for use at a later date.

Note: Death date information was not published with obituary.