Mary Jean Gerlach

Madison - Mary Jean Gerlach (nee Hebenstreit) , 89, died peacefully on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at HospiceCare. Mary was born in Shullsburg, Wisconsin to the late J. Raymond and Bernadette Hebenstreit on July 6, 1920. She married John Glenn Gerlach on February 10, 1943. John preceded her in death in 1999 after 56 years of marriage. They made their home and raised their family in Crestwood, on Madison's Westside, for over 50 years. She is survived by their seven children, Barbara (Boyd) Campbell of Nekoosa, James (Janice) of Reedsburg, Ann (Tom) Schuster of Mequon, Martha (Tom) Beach of Madison, John (Lori) of Verona, Mary Beth (Rudi) deZoeten of Southlake, TX and Joseph (Kelley) of Hartland. She was the loving grandmother of 16 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a very special brother, John. She is survived by a sister Dorothy Jorgensen, Menomonee Falls.

Mary worked for 30 years at Gimbels/Marshall Fields where she was a fixture in the Junior Department. She was a loyal employee well into her 70's. She was a charter member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and a long time member of Blackhawk Country Club. In her later years she enjoyed her Sunday breakfast group after church and going to the Home Talent baseball games with her good friends. She was a dedicated, loving mother and she will be dearly missed. Services will be Friday, November 27, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. at ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CATHOLIC CHURCH with visitation starting 2:30 up until time of the service. Memorials may be made to the John and Mary Gerlach Scholorship Fund at the UW Foundation, P.O. Box 8860, Madison, WI, 53791.