MaryAnn Alvena (Mast) Grawe of rural Quincy, died peacefully Thursday April 24, 2014 in her home and surrounded by family. She was born July 26, 1929 in Quincy a daughter of Timothy and Leona (Mettemeyer) Mast. Mrs. Grawe attended St. Anthony Grade School and graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1946. On August 20, 1949, she married Eugene “Gene” John Grawe in St. Anthony Catholic Church; he died September 20, 2003.
MaryAnn, her husband and 11 children were truck gardeners where they were known especially for their strawberries and many other vegetables.
She had been a lifelong member of St. Anthony Catholic Church, a member of their Third Order, and a past president of the Altar Society. For many years MaryAnn had been a precinct committeeman and an election judge for Melrose Township. She had been a member of Our Lady of Angels Seminary Guild and the Western Catholic Union. Along with her husband, MaryAnn was a strong supporter of Right-To-Life.
As a young girl she worked ironing and cleaning homes; after high school she attended nursing school for a short time until she fell in love, married and raised her family. Her children were very blessed by their mom staying home and cooking homemade meals from scratch and using ingredients from her homegrown garden. MaryAnn loved her family very much. Through her resourcefulness in gardening and canning she was able to provide for them when times were hard. Although her family was her priority, gardening was a huge part of her life. Her berries were her favorite hobby. She also enjoyed playing cards, attending several Cubs baseball games, traveling with her husband to Germany, plus vacationing in all states except Alaska. In her later years, she enjoyed her trips to the casinos.
She is survived by: her eleven children: Lucille, Margie, and Tom Grawe, Ken Grawe and his wife Geri, JoAnn Witte and her husband Fred, Dorothy Haley and her husband Bob, all of Quincy; Rita Frericks, Joe Grawe and his wife Gail, and Rose Ann Hugenberg all of Liberty; Roger Grawe and his wife Pat of Eau Claire, WI; and Mary Howald of Center, Mo;
Twenty-seven grandchildren: Cheryl (Joe) Schutte, Amy (Adam) Lucie, Danny Frericks, Laura (Mike) Madsen, Andy (Julie) Grawe, Kathy (Rob) Marold, Jennifer, Greg and Vicki Grawe, Stephanie (Carl) Mefford, Tyler (Jenny) Grawe, Jon (Avery) Grawe, Abby Grawe, Ben Hugenberg, Matt, Hannah and Andrew Witte, Michael (Crystal) Zehnle, Danielle, Brian, Jacob, Jared and Sam Howald, Anthony, Timothy, Jeffrey, and Zachary Haley; thirteen great grandchildren and twins due in the fall. Two sisters: Dolly Genenbacher and Betty (Ralph) Venvertloh; sister-in-laws: Evelyn Mast, Margie Mast, Evelyn Grawe, and Florence Grawe; numerous nieces and nephews also survive.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; 2 children at birth; sons-in-law Paul Frericks and Dan Hugenberg; a daughter-in-law Lynda Grawe; 3 grandchildren Katie Hugenberg, Jacquelin and Adrianne Grawe; and 1 great- grandchild, Ty Muder; 2 brothers: Albert and Joe Mast; 2 sisters: Virginia and her husband Wilfrid Huber, and Frances and her husband Bob Meyer; a brother-in-law: Bob Genenbacher; and other in-laws: Sr. Doris Grawe, Esther and Bill Bergman, Sr. Louis Marie Grawe, Sr. Mildred Grawe, Alice and Henry Wand, Sr. MaryAnthony Grawe, Richard Grawe and George Grawe.
Services will be conducted at 9:15 A.M. with a prayer service led by the Western Catholic Union, Tuesday April 29, 2014 in the Duker & Haugh Funeral Home with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 A.M. in St. Anthony Catholic Church. Burial will be in St. Anthony Cemetery. Visitation will be held Monday, April 28, 2014 from 4:00-8:00 P.M. in the Duker & Haugh Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gene Grawe Catholic Education Fund or St. Anthony Catholic Church.