Mary Ann Pusen

Mary Ann Pusen was born to Frank Joseph Andris and Anna Mary (Valasek) Andris on February 19, 1936, in Barberton, OH. On September 22, 2025, at MeSun Hospice in Lawrenceville, GA, Jesus reached down, and Mary Ann reached up to enter her heavenly home. Mary Ann graduated from Barberton High School in 1954. She worked in a medical office until 1957 when she married Gene Pusen, her lifelong love of 68 years, whom she met on a blind date. Mary Ann learned housekeeping at an early age, so she became a meticulous homemaker while she and Gene raised three children. With fierce determination, she made sure that her children had the opportunities she never had. Mary Ann shuttled them to numerous activities and along the way served as a Girl Scout leader, Sunday School teacher, and for ten years, the seamstress of countless dance costumes. Mary Ann excelled at baking. Her specialties were pies from scratch, nut roll, baklava, cream puffs, and many traditional, labor-intensive Slovak Christmas cookies, which the family could not get enough of. Gardening was another favorite pastime; everywhere Mary Ann lived, she grew beautiful beds of flowers. Mary Ann had a sense of humor that popped out when you least expected it, like when she smeared whipped cream on the face of a sarcastic daughter, or when she roasted her husband in front of an audience at the spur of the moment. Humor was found in music as well. Mary Ann really enjoyed Christian, Gospel, old pop rock, and piano music, but she took special delight in raucously belting out old tunes from Dean Martin, Barry Manilow and others. She would improvise goofy ditties with the family about anything, including desperately wanting to eat chicken. With Gene, she sang happy birthday over the phone with purposely bad harmony or embellished endings. Although she had always been religious, in 1987 at the age of 51, she made the genuine commitment for Jesus to be her Lord and Savior, and she was born again, which greatly expanded her ability to love and serve her family and others. In later years when most would be slowing down, Mary Ann served her church with Gene. Together they were a Care Leader team at Sunrise Baptist Church for many years. More uniquely, their ministry of cleaning the church's commercial kitchen and ordering supplies was done with exhaustive thoroughness. Mary Ann was dearly loved by her grandchildren, and they remember her as being very present and involved. She made sure they had all the swimming lessons one could have, short of lifeguarding. There were cousin sleepovers, birthday excursions, holiday celebrations, and shared simpler moments too, like swinging on the porch. They recall her fiery commitment, supportiveness, discipline, and faithfulness. They remember her lighthearted and goofy manner; she was spunky, sassy, sweet and strong. To the grandkids, she was small in stature with a big personality. Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents; brother and sister-in-law, Frank S. Andris and Eleanor R. Andris; brother Joseph J. Andris; nephew Joseph C. Andris; and great-granddaughter Dusty Ilene Walker. Mary Ann is survived by her husband Gene, and by two daughters and a son and their spouses: Connie & Lee Thompson of Lawrenceville, GA; Sandy & Dave Wilson of Greer, SC; and Mark & Jean Pusen of Loganville, GA. She is also survived by grandchildren Rachel (Pusen) Keller & husband Chris; Kay (Pusen) Walker & husband Cody; Grant Wilson; Grace (Pusen) Green & husband James; Rebecca Thompson & fiancé Colin Strickler; and Bridget Wilson & fiancé Roger Harris. She leaves two great- grandchildren, Elijah Keller and Levi Keller; and twin Walker great-grandsons expected early next year. She also leaves sister-in-law Catherine Andris of Barberton, OH, plus a nephew, four nieces, and several other relatives and close friends. The family will have a private funeral with no visitation at Tim Stewart Funeral Home in Lawrenceville. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sunrise Baptist Church of Lawrenceville, GA. Arrangements by Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 300 Simonton Road SW, Lawrenceville, GA 30046. 770-962-3100. Please sign the online guest registry at www.stewartfh.com.