Mary Woerpel

Longtime Westside Madison resident, Mary Jane Woerpel, 88, passed away August 25, 2011 at Covenant Oaks Memory Care on the campus of Oakwood Village West where she had lived independently for several years. Mary Jane was born May 6, 1923 in Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin, the only child of Paul and Hazel (nee: Hook) Case. She graduated from Ft. Atkinson High School and from the University of Wisconsin with majors in Speech and English.
Mary Jane was engaged to her college sweetheart, Marvin Woerpel, just before he was stationed in the Pacific during WWII. They were wed in June, 1946, following his discharge from the Navy. Mary Jane and Marv began married life in Saratoga, California, but five years later when Marv accepted a position with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), they returned to settle in Wisconsin and raise their young family in Madison.
Mary Jane and Marv established enduring friendships through active involvement in Bethany Methodist Church and later First Unitarian Society, as well as numerous social, arts and civic groups. Among the organizations they enthusiastically supported were Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Madison Symphony Orchestra and Madison Opera.
Mary Jane was the consummate manager of hearth and home and a devoted mother to her four children, providing attentive support--and grammatical correction when needed. The couple produced 3 Eagle Scouts, Paul, Rick and Ron, and in midlife adopted a baby girl, Marna who stole their hearts, turned their world upside down and kept them youthful and vigorous. In the early years the Woerpel family enjoyed road trips and camping vacations; even a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters. Later Marv and Mary Jane traveled to Japan and made numerous trips to European destinations.
Mary Jane appreciated music and relished both physical activity and intellectual stimulation. She and Marv were founding members of Discussion Group, a monthly gathering of couples with rotating topic responsibility. Mary Jane was a member of the local chapter of Zeta Phi Eta, National Professional Fraternity in Communication Arts and Sciences and the University League. She sang in church choir at Bethany and was an accomplished pianist. In the 1960's she and a group of women met for coffee and harmonizing. They called the group "Sip and Sing".
When she was in her 60's Mary Jane joined a group of women that met for aerobics twice a week--for more than two decades. She walked daily, and when her ability to drive was curtailed, she walked some more, often for miles. Reading (Book Group) and gardening (Garden Club), bird watching, hiking, cross country skiing and canoeing were also among her other passions and pursuits.
Mary Jane is survived by her children, Paul (Julie) Woerpel, Pewaukee, WI, Ronald (Sylvania Reyna) Woerpel, Carlsbad, CA, Marna (Thomas) Van Ouse, Orange, CA and grandchildren, Allison and Derek Woerpel. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of fifty one years, Marv Woerpel and her son, Richard Woerpel, formerly of Simi Valley, CA.
A memorial service followed by a reception will be held at Oakwood Village West in the Resurrection Chapel Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. See map (below) for directions and parking arrangements http://www.oakwoodvillage.net/our-community/campus_map_west.pdf Memorials may be made to Madison Symphony Orchestra, Madison Opera or Oakwood Foundation.
Please view photos below for a map of Oakwood Village parking