Maryann Wenninger

MaryAnn Wenninger, age 79 of Sauk Centre, died Saturday, February 21, 2009 at St. Michael's Hospital in Sauk Centre.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 24 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Todd Schneider officiating. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday and from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Parish prayers will be held at 7 p.m. Monday evening at the funeral home.

MaryAnn Wenninger was born May 10, 1929 in Searles, Minnesota to Harry and Lucy (Hillesheim) Schmidt. She grew up on a farm in Linden Township, rural New Ulm, Minnesota and attended country school. After graduating 8th grade at St. John's Catholic School in Searles, she worked for various farm couples as a hired helper. On May 11, 1950 she was united in marriage to Melvin E. Wenninger at St. John's Catholic Church in Searles. After their marriage, the couple made their home in New Ulm, where together they owned and operated an auto repair business. MaryAnn kept the accounting and business records. In 1979, they moved to a home on Sauk Lake, near Sauk Centre, Minnesota, where they enjoyed many years of fishing, family and friends. In Sauk Centre, they continued their family auto repair business. MaryAnn became a resident of St. Michael's Nursing Home in November of 2008.MaryAnn was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church and the Catholic Aid Society. She was also actively involved with foster parenting in New Ulm. MaryAnn was an avid Garage Sale Enthusiast! She enjoyed babysitting multiple grandchildren, collecting memorabilia and playing sheephead with her brothers and sisters. She also enjoyed gardening, her favorite flowers were geraniums and African violets.

Survivors include her husband of 58 years, Melvin Wenninger of Sauk Centre; six children, David (Christine) Wenninger of Sturgeon Lake, Diana (Richard) Hacker of Winthrop, Duane (Lori) Wenninger of Sauk Centre, Donna (Ron) Portner of Rice, Denis (Dody) Wenninger of Sauk Centre, and Dondi (Susannah) Wenninger of Sauk Centre; 19 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; brothers, James (Darlene) Schmidt of New Ulm and Jerome (Phyllis) Schmidt of Madelia; and sister Rosie (Eddie) Johnson of Baxter.

She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Daniel Schmidt, Ruth Schmidt and two infant sisters.

Serving as casket bearers will be her grandchildren, Steven Weber, Cory Portner, Scott Portner, Nathan Wenninger, Lukas Zabel, Tyler Wenninger-Thornbloom, Sean Costello and Melissa Frank. Honorary casket bearers will be her godchildren, Ruth Bryan, Darlis Bode, Jody Schmidt and Debbie Smith. Cross bearer will be her granddaughter, Michelle Parsons and scripture bearer will be her granddaughter, Amy Weber.