Mary K. "Marie" Gass

FUNERAL HOME

John L. Ziegenhein & Sons Funeral Home - South City Chapel

7027 Gravois Avenue

St. Louis, Missouri

Mary Gass Obituary

Gass, Mary K. 'Marie' (nee Scherting), suddenly on Wednesday, March 19, 2008. Beloved wife of Frank Gass; dear mother of Michael Gass, Frank Gass and Lisa (Steve) Grant; dear grandmother of Nathan Gass, Joshua and Stephanie Grant; dear sister-in-law, aunt, great-aunt, cousin and dear friend.Services:Funeral Saturday 9 a.m. at JOHN L. ZIEGENHEIN & SONS, 7027 Gravois. Interment Lakewood Park Cemetery. If desired, contributions to Alzheimer's Association, 9374 Olive Blvd., 63132, Cardinal Ritter Adult Day Care, 7663 Watson Rd., 63119 or M.E.A.A.A., 7677 Watson Rd., 63119 would be appreciated. VISITATION FRIDAY 3-9 P.M.

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Published by St. Louis Post-Dispatch from Mar. 21 to Mar. 22, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Mary Gass

2 Entries

Georgeanne Gass

April 4, 2008

Dear Marie,
We'll always remember your sweetness and kindness to our family. You worked so hard throughout your entire life, helping countless others!! You have been a wonderful example to all of us.
Thanks for sharing yourself so willingly.
Love,
Georgeanne

Lisa Grant

March 21, 2008

Who was Marie Gass? (this will be read at her service on Saturday)

Thinking about how to describe Marie Gass – it is hard to do – there are so many things that could be said about her. If you had to pick one word – it would be caring. She took care of and cared about so many people in her life. She always gave of herself to help others.
Besides caring for her children and grandchildren – she helped care for her family – she watched out for her brothers and sister and mother. She has many nieces and nephews that tell stories about special things she did for them. She helped to care for relatives when they were ill. She took care of Little Uncle Mike, Uncle Nick, Aunt Katie and Aunt Frances till the day they left this earth.
Growing up, I remember that she would start her day at 430 getting everything ready for her family. When she woke you up for school or work, your breakfast (and lunch) were already ready.
She took the time to draw a picture on my brown lunch bag. The kids at school couldn’t wait to see what was on there each day. You went to the bathroom and came out and your bed would be made. When you got home from school, the house was clean, the laundry was done and dinner was ready because dad came home at 418 pm and dinner was to be on the table. When Michael and Frankie were older and had moved out – they would still come by for breakfast in the morning, drop off their laundry, pick up their lunch and go to work. After work they would eat dinner, pick up the laundry and head home.
Once we were all gone from home – she took care of dad as she always did – she even made him a special peanut butter sandwich on the day that Jimmy Carter got elected. Dad said the only time they ever argued in their 54 years of marriage was when she had apparently called a plumber one day when he was at work. He only noticed because suddenly you didn’t have to jiggle the handle anymore.
We would go to Bay some weekends. Same thing out there, you would wake up to her singing or humming and breakfast cooking. Then she would piddle around cleaning and cooking the entire time we were supposed to be resting. When we would drive home – Steve said he felt like he was treated like a king.
Even when grown, married and living in my own home – I came home and found Easter eggs with quarters scattered through the house for me to hunt.
She cared for her grandkids for the first several years of their lives. At one period of time she had all three of them – Nathan was 4, Josh was 1 and Stephanie was a newborn. She did that 5 days a week until Nathan went off to school. Same thing, when you dropped them off in the morning she was already cooking for them. She had French toast ready, had already made tapioca for a snack later and had the toys out and ready. When you picked them up they were bathed, fed and happy as can be.
Whenever people stopped by she was making you a sandwich, offering a piece of cake or her famous apple pie or one of her latest “experimentos” as she called them.
She spent most of her life thinking of ways and doing things for others.
Mom was officially diagnosed with Alzheimers around 2000. She tried hard to maintain things as they were for as long as she could. There would be good days and bad days. Dad was determined to keep her at home and be happy and cared for as long as he could. Things were rough sometimes trying to keep her safe and as engaged in life as she could be. She started going to Cardinal Ritter Adult Day care 2 days a week to break up the daily routine and to give dad some time to rest. At first, she didn’t want to go but we told her she always said she was going to get a job, so now she had one – she was a “volunteer” and for her time they would pay her in good food. She liked that idea. They loved her there, said she was a “hoot.” She kept them laughing all day long with her sayings and noises she makes.
Mom touched so many people in her life – until her last day here with us.
I would challenge anyone to find something negative to say about Marie Gass. Besides caring she was one of the sweetest, nicest, and most funny people you could ever meet.
Mom has given so much and will be missed so much. She was funny and entertaining to the end. She didn’t remember a lot of things but she had some funny things she always said. I can’t believe we won’t hear her say
Listen you,
it wasn’t me,
I didn’t do it, I just got here,
I’m not coming back anymore – then you would say you live here – then she would say, well then you’re not coming back here any more
Honey boy
I’m home dada (to Frank)
OK bye now, see you later.
Mom was happy and healthy and laughing with us till March 18th. On March 19th she decided to go be happy and laugh with all of those in heaven.
I know I am who I am because of who she was and how she treated and cared for me. She will be so very missed but never forgotten or loved.

One last thing, in case you didn’t know – Mom loved the color blue. ALL of her clothes were blue – her coats were blue, her towels were blue, her sheets were blue, her rugs were blue – we thought it fitting to use as much blue as we could today. From now on, whenever you look up and see blue sky – think of Marie – because that is where she will be.