Mary Stattelman

Mary Katherine Stattelman, 81, 4 South 18th St., Clear Lake, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, from the result of a car accident.      

A Funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday, Jan. 10, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1001 9th Ave. S., Clear Lake, with the Rev. John Gossman officiating.   Inurnment will be at the Clear Lake Cemetery at a later date.   Memorials may be directed to Newman Catholic Schools, Saint Patrick’s Parish and Posada (www.posadapueblo.org), Pueblo, Colo.    

  Mary was born Nov. 29, 1933, in Stacyville, Iowa, (located only four miles from the Minnesota line and on the Little Cedar River), the daughter of Carl Edward and Christine Margaret (Merfeld) Staudt.  Mary attended school at Visitation School for all 12 years graduating in 1951.  School and church played a big part in the family growing up.  While at school, there were many recitals, school plays and Catholic youth activities.  Outside of school, 4-H, ice-skating at the river, biking and tennis and other events at the river were enjoyed.  She spent a summer in Gadsden, Ala., working with a visiting nurse at Holy Name of Jesus Hospital.   Leo was in Alabama in a different part of the state at the same time before they met.     

Mary graduated in 1955 with a B.S. in Home Economics in Education from Iowa State University. Mary participated in many choral groups during the four years and was named to Sigma Alpha Iota.  She was the Director of Kossuth County Extension.  Mary met Leo Stattelman at the West Bend Grotto Ice Skating Rink.

Mary and Leo were married Nov 28, 1959, at the Visitation Church in Stacyville.  They spent their first years volunteering with Father Michael Caswell at a Catholic Mission School near Montgomery, Ala. In 1961, they moved to Clear Lake, where Leo taught at Clear Lake High School.  They were happy to be between the two family homes of West Bend and Stacyville.  They were both involved with St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, the schools and the community.  Over the years, Mary was a 4-H Leader, a member of the local folk dancing group, provided music and recreation programs for many groups including the local nursing home, Home Economics Graduates Club of North Iowa, Faculty Wives, skating at the Marion Park Ice Rink, Clear Lake Arts Council, neighborhood coffees, daily Mass group, Director of Music at Saint Patrick’s Parish, a member of Una Vocis, a volunteer for many nonprofits, including Meals on Wheels.  Mary loved to bicycle and enjoyed sunsets over Clear Lake and sharing a glass of wine with her friend, Peg Clausen.   

Mom and Dad’s home at Clear Lake was filled with friends, family and song.  Bees, homemade wine and mead, beautiful beeswax candles and Mom’s art were all important parts of the family home. 

Mary is survived by children, Anne, Pueblo, Colo.; Michael (Jennifer), Duluth, Minn.; John (Ann Shirley), Duluth; David, East Lansing, Mich.; and Elizabeth (Daniel) Stattelman-Scanlan, Madison, Wis.; grandchildren, Katie, Marty and Nick Mascarenas, Emma Stattelman, Mary Rose, Annaliese and Kathleen Stattelman, and Brigit, Annabel, Leo, George Stattelman-Scanlan;  and siblings, Sister Mary Arnold Staudt OSF, Dubuque, Iowa, and James Staudt, Dallas, Tex.

     Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Leo; and grandson, Peter. 

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.