Mary Helen Liegel

Mary Helen Liegel, age 84, of Kenosha, passed away peacefully on November 3, surrounded by the love of her family.

Born on October 1, 1942, in Winona, Minnesota, Mary was the daughter of Arthur and Lilian Smith. The youngest of four children, she was truly the baby of the family. By the time she was born, her oldest brother was already serving as a medic during World War II, while her other two brothers were in high school.

Raised in a traditional Irish and German Catholic household, Mary attended Catholic schools and went on to graduate from the College of Saint Teresa, a Catholic women’s college in Winona, Minnesota, where she earned her degree in Education and Spanish. She had a gift for languages and was fluent in both Spanish and Latin, something quite remarkable for a young woman of her generation.

After graduation, Mary moved to Chicago, Illinois, to begin her teaching career. Not long afterward, while visiting home in Winona, she met her future husband, Robert, on the Mississippi River. Their love story moved quickly. Within months they were engaged, and just six months later, they were married.

Mom stepped away from her teaching career to devote herself to raising their three children. Once they were older and in junior high, she returned to teaching as a grade school substitute with Kenosha Unified.

Her family was truly the center of her world, and nothing brought her greater joy than spending time with her children and, later in life, her grandchildren, who knew her lovingly as “Oma.” She rarely missed a soccer game, tennis match, basketball game, piano recital, dance or ballet recital, or any other special moment in her grandchildren’s lives. If it mattered to them, it mattered to her.

Mom will be remembered for so many things, including her kindness, generosity, strong faith, love of animals, and unwavering devotion to her family. She especially loved the holidays, and everyone knew that Christmas lists had better be in her hands by Thanksgiving Day, or she would start blowing up their phones with reminders. Of course, gifts were irrelevant as simply being together was the greatest gift of all.

She is survived by her husband, Robert; her children, Lisa, Gregory, and Julie; her grandchildren, Nicholas (Emily), Kylie, Alexi, Quinn, Drue, Griffin, and Gabriel; and her great-grandchildren, Carson and Sofia. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Lilian Smith, and her three brothers, Arthur Jr., Gene, and Donnie.

A private Catholic Christian burial will be held on November 13 at Green Ridge Cemetery in Kenosha.

Throughout her life, Mom’s kindness and compassion extended beyond her family to animals of all kinds, which always held a very special place in her heart. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor her memory may consider a donation to the Wisconsin Humane Society, Kenosha Campus, reflecting her lifelong love and compassion for animals, or to the Alzheimer’s Association, in recognition of the disease she courageously battled for many years.

Though she will be deeply missed, the love she gave so freely, the memories she created, and the countless ways she touched the lives of those around her will remain with her family always.

Casey Family Options Funerals & Cremations

3016 75^th Street Kenosha WI 53142

262-653-0667

www.caseyfamilyoptions.com