Mary Elizabeth Lins

Mary Elizabeth (Durst) Lins peacefully completed her earthly journey at the age of 95 surrounded by her children at home on Thursday, November 7, 2024.
Mary was a twin born on March 28, 1929, to Hubert and Mae (Killoy) Durst in Ithaca Township, Richland County. She attended the Catholic grade school at St.Mary's- Keyesville and graduated as Valedictorian of the Ithaca High School class of 1947 and went on to the Richland County Teacher's College. She earned her Bachelors in Education at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
She married Bernard Lins on July 31, 1956, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Keyesville and began a partnership based on hard work and generous sharing of her gifts, talents and faith. She worked alongside Bernard milking cows, feeding calves, and doing field work. Together they received the Richland County Outstanding Young Farmers Award and Mary received the Richland County Outstanding Farm Wife Award.
Mary was proud that she never applied for nor interviewed for a teaching position, but was asked to come and teach at various Richland County Schools. She started her teaching career in a one-room school at Hillside and later at Loyd. Later, she was asked to be an instructor at the Richland County Teacher's College.
Mary stayed home with her children when they were small while taking care of her mother for 12 years. She sewed, gardened, and canned to save money at home. When a need arose at church for work as a sacristan, she accepted the volunteer position at her lifelong parish in Keyesville and gladly performed that ministry for 42 years.
After raising her children to school age, she was asked to teach mid-year at Ithaca Elementary School as a long-term substitute. The next year she was hired as a full-time teacher and thoroughly enjoyed helping students throughout the final 20 years of her teaching career. The love of teaching was especially rewarding when she could help a student who had fallen behind get back up to their grade level by the time she was done teaching them. While some viewed her as a strict teacher, she was also fair with her students-- gaining their respect and appreciation.
Her teaching career spanned 35 years while also teaching Leathercraft for 4-H and CCD religious education for 31 years. Her parish life also included 21 years keeping the financial records for the parish. During this time, she won the inaugural Ithaca "Teacher of the Year" award, the Dr. Ken Solis Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Ithaca Hall of Fame Community Service award, and the Women of Light award from the Diocese of La Crosse. She and Bernard also received the Strangers and Guests award from the Diocese of La Crosse for service to the parish. In 1958, Mary was recognized by the Wisconsin Governor's Commission on Human Rights for successfully integrating black and white children in a one room school.
Mary and Bernard also enjoyed traveling, visiting various locations in the United States and Europe. They were especially interested in seeing sites with religious significance that strengthened their journey of faith. They went on three pilgrimages with Cardinal Burke while he served as Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse. Mary also served many meals to priests who either served as pastor at St. Mary's- Keyesville or who were visiting.
Her service to others continued during retirement. She served on the Richland Hospital Board for 7 years, the Richland Hospital Auxiliary for 10 years, and made over 200 quilts which were donated to veterans and various organizations.
Surviving her are her children, Alan (Amy) Lins, Mark (Ann) Lins, and Anne (Bob) Roth, Grandchildren Sarah, Matthew, Greg and Paul Lins and Mike and David Roth as well as sisters-in-law Betty Durst and Celie Speich and brothers-in-law Larry Downey and Roger Mellenberger.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband Bernard, siblings Nora Durst, Bernard Durst, twin sister Marian Bindl, and Hubert Durst.
A Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Rev. Nathan Thainase will be held at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary- Keyesville on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 11:00 AM with burial to follow in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday, November 15, 2024, at Clary Memorial Funeral Home with visitation from 4:00 PM to 6:45 PM with a rosary at 6:45 PM. Also, rosary and visitation will be held on Saturday at church- Keyesville with rosary at 9:30 AM and visitation from 10:00 AM until the time of service at 11:00 AM. The family requests that memorials be made to Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish or Mass intentions for Mary.
Her life was exemplified by service to others, giving an honest tithe, and daily prayer.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be livestreamed on the St.Mary-Keyesville Facebook page.
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