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Mary Louise Lewis Obituary
Mary Louise Lewis, age 87, of 1350 Winnebago Avenue in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, passed away on Sunday morning, April 14th, 2024 at Evergreen Assisted Living Care in Oshkosh from complications of recent heart issues.
She was born Mary Louise Blanchette in Oshkosh on July 15, 1936, the oldest of three children of Norman and Irene (Luebke) Blanchette. Known to family and friends as Mary Lou, she grew up in Oshkosh and graduated from Oshkosh High School in 1954. Afterward, she attended college at Wisconsin State College-Oshkosh, as it was known then.
She was employed at Miles Kimball, then the telephone company, and then returned to Miles Kimball!
On January 14, 1959, Mary Lou married Oshkosh native and future junior and high school teacher Richard R. Lewis at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey; and they spent a year in Germany while he was in the U.S. Army. After returning to Oshkosh, she worked at Christensen's Lingerie.
In 1962, she became associated with the Miss America Organization at the local level. She produced and directed the Miss Oshkosh pageant for six years. Mary Lou went to the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the first time in September 1965 with that year's Miss Wisconsin, Sharon Mae Singstock of Oshkosh, who selected as fourth runner-up, as well as in 1972 when Terry Anne Meeuwsen of DePere was crowned Miss America of 1973.
Mary Lou continued her association with Miss America for over 50 years, including judging at many other state pageants. She was honored on stage at the national pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada for her half-century of volunteer service to the pageant program in January 2012, when, coincidentally, this state's second Miss Wisconsin, Laura Marie Kaeppeler of Kenosha, was crowned Miss America. After the pageant moved back to Atlantic City, she attended for two more years, in 2013 and 2014.
In later years, Mary Lou was one of the state pageant's gold-level scholarship donors and was responsible for the tickets for the Miss Wisconsin competition shows held at Oshkosh West High School each June for many, many years. She was also in charge of the ushers for the Miss Wisconsin shows.
Another interest was the Oshkosh-based Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) B-17 tours, which her husband, Richard, travelled with for many years, as well as frequently volunteering with the B-17 during EAA AirVenture held in July.
More recently, she had been a supporter of The Grand Theatre, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and was a member of the '54 Club, EAA, and The Grand.
Mary Lou is survived by her younger brother, Ralph (Elaine) of Madison, Wis.; Ralph's children, Thaddeus (Ana) Blanchette of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Vanessa, Vanessa's daughter, Janie Rose; Christen Stumpner, Christen's children, Rose, Keegan, and Stuart.
Additionally, those also grieving her loss include a sister-in-law, Jackie Gutsmiedl, Jackie's children, Gloria, Mark, and Bruce; and the children of Richard's sister, Sally Frank, Michael Frank and Stacey Gautsch. Mary Lou is also survived by other nieces and nephews, cousins, many friends (especially Sylvia Karow, Deb McHugh, John McHugh, Janine McHugh, Sandra Butcher, and anyone else we haven't named); and many pageant "daughters".
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Richard, on May 29, 2014, after 55 years of marriage; her parents, Norman "Beado" A. Blanchette (May 3, 1968) and Irene Louise Luebke Blanchette (January 16, 2001); as well as her younger sister, Annette Blanchette (February 12, 2015), a sister-in-law, Sally (Tom) Frank; and also her father and mother-in-law Robert and Norma (Leaman) Lewis.
Family, friends, and the public may attend a visitation at St. Peter's Catholic Church at 449 High Avenue in Oshkosh, Wis., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. with a service of remembrance beginning at 11:00 a.m. with Father Jerry Pastors officiating. Interment will be at Lake View Memorial Park Cemetery, 2786 Algoma Blvd, in Oshkosh.
Fiss & Bills-Poklasny Funeral Home in Oshkosh ably served the family. In lieu of flowers a memorial will be established for The Grand Theatre in Oshkosh.
Fiss and Bills-Poklasny Funeral Home
865 S. Westhaven Drive
Oshkosh WI 54904
(920) 235-1170
She was born Mary Louise Blanchette in Oshkosh on July 15, 1936, the oldest of three children of Norman and Irene (Luebke) Blanchette. Known to family and friends as Mary Lou, she grew up in Oshkosh and graduated from Oshkosh High School in 1954. Afterward, she attended college at Wisconsin State College-Oshkosh, as it was known then.
She was employed at Miles Kimball, then the telephone company, and then returned to Miles Kimball!
On January 14, 1959, Mary Lou married Oshkosh native and future junior and high school teacher Richard R. Lewis at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey; and they spent a year in Germany while he was in the U.S. Army. After returning to Oshkosh, she worked at Christensen's Lingerie.
In 1962, she became associated with the Miss America Organization at the local level. She produced and directed the Miss Oshkosh pageant for six years. Mary Lou went to the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the first time in September 1965 with that year's Miss Wisconsin, Sharon Mae Singstock of Oshkosh, who selected as fourth runner-up, as well as in 1972 when Terry Anne Meeuwsen of DePere was crowned Miss America of 1973.
Mary Lou continued her association with Miss America for over 50 years, including judging at many other state pageants. She was honored on stage at the national pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada for her half-century of volunteer service to the pageant program in January 2012, when, coincidentally, this state's second Miss Wisconsin, Laura Marie Kaeppeler of Kenosha, was crowned Miss America. After the pageant moved back to Atlantic City, she attended for two more years, in 2013 and 2014.
In later years, Mary Lou was one of the state pageant's gold-level scholarship donors and was responsible for the tickets for the Miss Wisconsin competition shows held at Oshkosh West High School each June for many, many years. She was also in charge of the ushers for the Miss Wisconsin shows.
Another interest was the Oshkosh-based Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) B-17 tours, which her husband, Richard, travelled with for many years, as well as frequently volunteering with the B-17 during EAA AirVenture held in July.
More recently, she had been a supporter of The Grand Theatre, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and was a member of the '54 Club, EAA, and The Grand.
Mary Lou is survived by her younger brother, Ralph (Elaine) of Madison, Wis.; Ralph's children, Thaddeus (Ana) Blanchette of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Vanessa, Vanessa's daughter, Janie Rose; Christen Stumpner, Christen's children, Rose, Keegan, and Stuart.
Additionally, those also grieving her loss include a sister-in-law, Jackie Gutsmiedl, Jackie's children, Gloria, Mark, and Bruce; and the children of Richard's sister, Sally Frank, Michael Frank and Stacey Gautsch. Mary Lou is also survived by other nieces and nephews, cousins, many friends (especially Sylvia Karow, Deb McHugh, John McHugh, Janine McHugh, Sandra Butcher, and anyone else we haven't named); and many pageant "daughters".
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Richard, on May 29, 2014, after 55 years of marriage; her parents, Norman "Beado" A. Blanchette (May 3, 1968) and Irene Louise Luebke Blanchette (January 16, 2001); as well as her younger sister, Annette Blanchette (February 12, 2015), a sister-in-law, Sally (Tom) Frank; and also her father and mother-in-law Robert and Norma (Leaman) Lewis.
Family, friends, and the public may attend a visitation at St. Peter's Catholic Church at 449 High Avenue in Oshkosh, Wis., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. with a service of remembrance beginning at 11:00 a.m. with Father Jerry Pastors officiating. Interment will be at Lake View Memorial Park Cemetery, 2786 Algoma Blvd, in Oshkosh.
Fiss & Bills-Poklasny Funeral Home in Oshkosh ably served the family. In lieu of flowers a memorial will be established for The Grand Theatre in Oshkosh.
Fiss and Bills-Poklasny Funeral Home
865 S. Westhaven Drive
Oshkosh WI 54904
(920) 235-1170
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by Oshkosh Herald from Apr. 16 to May 15, 2024.
Memories and Condolences
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1 Entry
Debbie
April 30, 2024
Thank you JESUS, for this lady Mary. Thank you for her
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