Mary Ann Sarsfield

Mary Ann (Kuhle) Sarsfield, 94, of New Berlin, Wisconsin, beloved wife of the late Robert J. Sarsfield, peacefully passed away August 24, 2025 surrounded by her family.

Born July 2, 1931 to Albert Anton and Katherine Veronica (Donovan) Kuhle in Sioux City, Iowa, her family moved while she was still a baby to La Grange, Illinois where she attended Saint Francis Xavier Elementary School and Nazareth Academy. She graduated from Quincy College in Quincy, Illinois in 1953 with a B.A. in education. Unusual for that era, her father made sure both his daughters went to college.

She first noticed Robert at a Chicago wedding but mistook him for a seminarian until a woman told her to stay away from "Bobby" as he was hers. Not one to shrink from a challenge, Mary Ann deliberately sought him out. Wrigley Field was their first date on June 30, 1957 for a Cubs vs. Brooklyn Dodgers double-header. She impressed him because, unlike the "skinny Irish girls" in his Southside Chicago neighborhood, she ate all the food he bought her. That and the Cubs won the first game against the defending National League champs. Sparks flew and just under a year later they married on June 28, 1958 in La Grange, Illinois.

They lived in Kalamazoo, MI; La Grange, IL; and Racine, WI prior to settling in Burlington, Wisconsin where she taught middle school in the Burlington public schools for many years. Even after retiring, she was a substitute teacher for more years.

She loved to travel to all sports events of her grandchildren, to many countries in Europe and throughout the states. For over 15 years she and her husband were snowbirds to the Florida panhandle every winter. In recent years, she enjoyed attending plays in New York with Ann Marie. She and her sister, Kathleen Flynn, organized the first Donovan Family reunion in 1970 in Salem, South Dakota for hundreds of descendants of their Donovan grandparents, inspiring additional reunions over the years to this day.

She was renowned for her perfect, color-coordinated outfits and jewelry. Favorites were sudoku, bingo, solitaire, lemon meringue pie, lasagna, and a chilled glass of Prosecco Rosé. And a good Old Fashioned cocktail. Her Catholic faith was a bedrock in her life with daily Mass attendance.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years in 2009, her parents and her sisters, Kathleen (Kaye) Flynn and Shelia, who died in infancy. She will be missed by those who brought her much joy: her cherished children and their spouses: Timothy (Randi) of Springfield, MO, Mary Denise (Kevin) Collins of New Berlin, WI, and Ann Marie (Scott) Huelskamp of Wayne, PA; her beloved grandchildren: Katherine Sarsfield (Piero Taico), Moira (Jarred) Boerst, Tom Sarsfield, John (Caitlin) Collins and Samantha Huelskamp; her adored great grandchildren Madelyn Boerst and Chiara Collins; along with numerous loved nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

The family thanks Heritage Deer Creek Senior Living and Brighton Hospice for providing wonderful care as she took her final journey home.

Arrangements:

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Holy Apostles Catholic Church, 16000 West National Avenue, New Berlin, Wisconsin

Visitation – 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM

Funeral Mass – 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Luncheon – 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Holy Apostles Parish.

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