Mary H. Griesbach

Mary Helen Griesbach (nee Lampe) of Brookfield, Wisconsin entered into eternal life at the age of 100 on April 29, 2025. She died after a brief illness at ThedaCare Medical Center in Waupaca where she and those of her family that could be there were treated with great care and kindness. The family is most grateful to Barbara, Nick, and the Freres family, as well as caregivers Taniesha (St. Camillus Private Duty), Susan, and Cynthia, who have provided such great care to Mary in her later years so that she could remain in her beloved home.
Mary is survived by eleven of her twelve children: John (Toni), Thomas (Dana), Paul (Pauline), Peter (Linda), William (Joanne), David (Gay), Joseph (Joanne), Mary Ann (John Snider), Michael (Jody), Katherine (Thomas Lewis), and Barbara (Nick Freres). She is also survived by 41 grandchildren, more than 50 great-grandchildren, and her sister-in-law Joan Lampe, and numerous nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of almost 60 years, Marc F. Griesbach, and her oldest son Marc G. Griesbach, her parents, Oscar and Kathleen (Mangan) Lampe, her sister Kathleen (Norman) Griesbach, and her brothers John (Joyce) Lampe and Thomas (Joan) Lampe.
Mary was born on June 20, 1924, in Antlers, Oklahoma, and attended a Catholic mission school supported by Katherine Drexel (later canonized Saint Katherine Drexel), until the family moved to Tulare, California when she was 13 years old. She attended Tulare Union High School and, after graduating, traveled across the country to attend the Journalism School at Marquette University, where she met Marc shortly before he entered the army during World War II. While Mary completed her journalism degree, they carried on a courtship largely through letters until his return from the European theater. They were married on July 25, 1945, shortly after he returned from Europe with the expectation that he would soon be leaving for the Pacific theater. The war came to an end when they were on their honeymoon. After Marc, the oldest child was born in Milwaukee, the family moved to Canada where Marc obtained his PhD in Philosophy at the University of Toronto before returning to teach at Marquette from 1951 until retiring in 1987. After the last of her 12 children was born, Mary returned to school to obtain a Masters in English and later in Library Science. She taught briefly at Mount Mary College before beginning her career at James Madison High School in the Milwaukee Public School System, where she taught English and supervised the publication of the school newspaper for almost 20 years before her retirement in 1989. After her retirement, until her later years, she continued to read, participated in many book clubs, held and attended luncheons with friends, and remained the unifying center of her family. Mary especially loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces, hearing what was going on in their lives. She was a woman of great faith.
Mary's was a full life, beautifully lived, that touched innumerable people. Her family and friends thank God for the great gift of that life with the sure and certain hope that she will be welcomed into eternal joy and happiness in the next.
Visitation will be held at Harder Funeral Home on Monday, May 12 from 4 PM until time of Vigil Service at 6 PM. Visitation on Tuesday, May 13 at St. Dominic Parish,18255 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield, from 12 Noon until time of Funeral Mass at 1 PM. Burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Dominic Future Priest & Deacon Fund, Marquette High School Scholarship Fund, or Divine Savior Holy Angels Scholarship Fund.