Obituary Posted: 9/14/05
Mary Danson was born on Jan. 15, 1924 to Albert and Magdalene Schack in Grand Rapids.
She attended Wendigo School through tenth grade. It was important to Mary to complete her education, and she accomplished that goal much later in life when she earned her GED.
When Mary was five years old her mother passed away. Despite suggestions to place Mary, the youngest of seven children, into an orphanage, her sister Edna insisted that the family stay together. Mary, forever grateful, has always placed a strong value on family.
During the fall of 1942 Mary worked at an airplane factory in California while her fiancÈ, Arnold Danson, was in the Navy Air Corps. The two returned to Grand Rapids and were married in December 1942. Mary moved around the country for several years as a military officerís wife.
After WWII ended, the couple returned to Grand Rapids where they were surrounded by family. They bought and cleared land to build their home and farm and established themselves in the community. Fifteen years and eight children later, they moved to an 80-acre dairy farm in Rush City. Three more children were born after the move. For nearly thirty years Mary and Arnold worked together to raise their eleven children and build a registered Holstein dairy herd. In 1986 they sold the farm, moved to town and enjoyed traveling around the country visiting relatives.
For the past twenty-three years Mary gracefully handled and endured the degenerative and disabling effects of ataxia. Mary died Saturday Sept. 10, 2005 at the Hillcrest Health Care Center in Rush City, with her family present, at the age of 81 years, 7 months and 25 days.
Maryís family was her pride and joy. She was preceded in death by her husband Arnold and siblings Oscar, Ewaldt, Walter, and Ann. She is survived by her children and their spouses: Dave and Kathy Danson of Dayton, Russ and Sue Danson of Rush City, Cathy and Mel Fischer of Stanton, ND, Ginny and Tom Jankovich of St. Paul, NE, Bev and Mark Porter of Braham, Edie and Dennis Points of Burnsville, Ardis and Terry Sandstrom of Motley, Marcia and Joe Wegleitner of Rush City, Jeri and Gene Lindgren of Rush City, Annie and Dale Antrobus of Yankton, SD, Cele and Andy Schoeberl of Rush City; 27 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren; sister Edna and brother Mike.
Pastor Laurie OíShea officiated funeral services on Monday, Sept. 12, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rush City. Soloist Marcia Wegleitner was accompanied by Pastor Laurie OíShea on piano and Dianne Kirchberg on the organ. Internment was in the First Lutheran Cemetery in Rush City.
Casket bearers were grandsons: Wade Porter, Joe Wegleitner, Andrew and Tom Schoeberl, Nick and Luke Antrobus. The staff of Hillcrest Healthcare Center served as honorary casket bearers. Arrangements were entrusted to the Funeral and Cremation Service of Rush City ìOlson Chapel.î
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