Mary Ann Elsbeth Waite
Mary Ann Elsbeth Waite, 85, Stevens Point, went to her heavenly home on Oct. 21, 2019 surrounded by her loving family.
Mary Ann was born Sept. 13, 1934 to Fred and Delma (Rahn) Wasemiller in Milwaukee. During the Great Depression, her family moved to Wausau where Mary attended Zion Lutheran Elementary School and Horace Mann Junior High. She graduated from Wausau Senior High in 1952.
Mary attended Deaconess Nursing School in Milwaukee, and graduated in September of 1955, and later that year passed her state boards to become a registered nurse in December.
She married Warren Waite on May 21, 1956 at Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau. They celebrated 56 wonderful years of marriage before his passing on Feb. 20, 2012. Mary Ann was lucky enough to find love again when she married Charles Peterson on Jan. 3, 2018 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Stevens Point, spending four loving years together.
While residing in Wausau, from 1956 to 1968, Mary worked at Freeman Medical Group and Memorial Hospital as a nurse. Mary and Warren moved to Appleton, where they lived from 1968 to 1970, and she worked at a nursing home. The family settled down in Stevens Point in 1970 where she worked at St. Michael’s Hospital as a staff nurse and in surgery. Mary’s passion for caring for others continued with various positions in the medical field throughout her life. Mary continued her education, becoming an In-service Coordinator at River Pines for 18 years. Mary also was a home health nurse with Advantage Home Health. During her retirement, she volunteered at Ministry/Ascension for several years. She touched many lives throughout her nursing career.
Family was most important to Mary. She cherished her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The whole family spent many hours at their cabin in Minocqua, starting in 1968. Mary loved playing bridge, cribbage, and scrabble. She found joy in square dancing, crocheting, knitting and sewing. Mary took an active role at her church. She was an usher, part of the alter guild, Sunday School, choir, and prayer shawl group. She loved to be with people and animals, especially her puppy, Little Miss Lily. Mary adored music, singing, and reading.
Survivors include her husband, Chuck; son, Brad (Cathy) Waite and their daughters, Heather (Tyler) Gawlik; Brittany (Bill Doebler) Waite; daughter Becky Waite and her son Joshua; sister, Diane (Frank) Teixera; nephews, Paul Teixera, Wes (Debbie) Waite; neice, Shelly (Mark) Anderson; and great grandchildren, Jadelyn, Emmett, Gage, and Garrett Gawlik, and Luella Doebler.
She is further survived by Chuck’s children, Jeff (Barb) Peterson, Linda (Russ) Ludlum, Kim (Jeff) Delikowski; and grandchildren, John and Anna Peterson, Marissa and Ashley Ludlum, Jennifer Forrest and Hunter Delikowski.
She is preceded in death by her first husband, Warren; her parents; sister, Virginia Waite; grandson, Christopher Waite; and by her dear friend, Lillian Klesmith.
A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Oct. 28 at St. Paul Lutheran Church with Rev. Steve Hulke presiding. Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27 at Boston Funeral Home and on Monday from 10 a.m. until time of service at the church. Burial will take place in Pine Grove Cemetery, Wausau at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church or the Portage County Humane Society.
Online condolences may be made at www.bostonfuneralhome.net.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Onitilo and staff of Marshfield Clinic; and the Marshfield Hospital staff.
Mary will be greatly missed by the many hearts she touched in her lifetime.