Obituary - Mary J. Pearson

Mary Jean Pearson peacefully arrived home to the Lord on Friday, Oct. 15, 2011, from her home, surrounded by her family. Mary Jean (Maisey) was born Nov. 14, 1933, to Edward and Gertrude Schmitt Sauer in Utica, N.Y.

Mary graduated from Utica Free Academy in 1951, later graduating from the Utica School of Commerce in business.

She was employed at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and New York Telephone Company in the engineering department in New York. The Sauer family moved to California in 1955, and at this time Mary was employed for Pacific Telegraph & Telephone Co. in Oakland, Calif.

Mary married at Christ the King Catholic Church in Pleasant Hill, Calif., May 4, 1958. Immediately following the ceremony the couple headed to Moscow, where they made their home for the next 53 years; raising four daughters.

Mary served as a volunteer in the community for 30 years. Her proudest achievement in the church was to be the first female Eucharistic minister at St. Mary's Church under Father Arnzen. Mary also was a founder of St. Gerard's Guild, a group for young mothers. In addition, Mary served as president of the Catholic Women's League, was a member of the Ursuline Auxiliary and a member of the Women's Firemen's Auxiliary and volunteered at the food bank.

In 1987, Mary began employment at the Latah County Courthouse at the switchboard. She delighted in all the happenings of the county. She would remain there until 1998. Mary also enjoyed her Road Runner cross-country adventures, playing her organ, gardening and her iris patch, sharing her three miniature doll houses, participating in card parties with her girlfriends, and taking pleasure in a good joke.

Mary is survived by her husband of more than 53 years at their home; daughter and son-in-law of Bellevue, Wash., three daughters and two sons-in-law of Moscow; seven grandchildren; three great-grandsons; sister-in-law and brother-in-law of Moscow; and by multiple nieces and nephews, and many loving cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Lt. William Edward Sauer; her sisters, Rose Ralph and Kathleen Sutherland; uncle and aunts, Bill, Sue Hermann and Mary O'Connor.

Mom will be remembered for her beautiful and melodic laugh, her love of family, church and the Moscow community.

A reciting of the rosary and vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday at the church. Burial will follow at the Moscow Cemetery.

The family requests no flowers. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Mary's School in Moscow.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Short's Funeral Chapel of Moscow and online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.

Lewiston Tribune, October 18, 2011, p. 4D
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock