Mary Ann Shirley (Schneider) Artz, 84, passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2020 at the Manitowoc Health & Rehabilitation Center in Manitowoc, WI. She had been a resident there in the dementia care unit since 2016.
Mary Ann was born on August 15, 1935 to Clarence Sr. & Agnes (Kouba) Schneider. She was born at Holy Family Hospital in Manitowoc. An interesting story that Mary Ann and her mother would always tell about her birth was that her mother wanted to name her Shirley, but the nun assisting with the delivery suggested naming her Mary Ann (also the name of that nun) because she was born on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. So her mother compromised, naming her Mary Ann and giving her a middle name of Shirley. Her mother always called her Shirley, though.
Spending her childhood in Rosecrans, WI., she then attended Denmark Public Schools. After high school, Mary Ann worked for the Boston Store in Manitowoc. It was at this job that she met her future husband, Roger Artz. They were married on October 20, 1956 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Kellnersville.
Roger and Mary Ann lived a life of which most of us could only dream. Roger’s job took them all over the world. Some of the places Roger & Mary Ann lived during their lifetime were: Germany, Guam, Japan, Panama, Viet Nam, and Mary Ann’s favorite, Morocco. In fact, while living in Morocco, Mary Ann hosted a state dinner for the King of Morocco at her home. While residing in Guam, Mary Ann managed the Officers’ Club for many years and found great joy in that role. Mary Ann was also a Women’s Skeet Shooting World Champion while in Germany and competed in tournaments throughout the world. Roger and Mary Ann also lived in Arizona, Illinois (Chicago – where Mary Ann became a Chicago Cubs fan), Pennsylvania, and Texas. Mary Ann would go ahead of Roger to set up their new home for his arrival. She supported him throughout his career by being a stay at home wife, keeping up their homes, taking care of all of their needs, and entertaining their friends and business associates. At times, she would also work part-time jobs in some of the locations where they lived. This helped her to keep busy when Roger’s job kept him away from home for extended periods of time. Upon Roger’s retirement, they settled in Pahrump, NV where Mary Ann resided until 2016. Roger preceded her in death on March 17, 1999, after nearly 43 years of marriage.
Mary Ann enjoyed listening to music, dancing, entertaining and socializing, traveling, spending time with friends at the Moose Lodge in Pahrump, NV, and visiting her family in Wisconsin. Besides cheering on her Chicago Cubs, she was also a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan. No matter where she may be living, whenever the Cubs or the Packers were playing, she was cheering them on to victory. In spite of her dementia diagnosis, Mary Ann still very much enjoyed the company of others. She always greeted her visitors with a warm hello and a beautiful smile. She loved to laugh at humorous stories as well. Right up until the very end, she kept her sense of humor and her class. She was a wonderful wife, sister, sister-in-law, and aunt. She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Mary Ann is survived by her brothers and their wives: Clarence (“Butch”) & Shirley Schneider and James (“Jim”) & Ellen Schneider; Nieces & Nephews: Ann (Kyle) Habeck, Michael (Johanna) Schneider, Michelle (Gary “Pete”) Ladwig, and Debbie (Greg) Charney; Great-Nieces & Nephews: Justin (Kirstyn) Schneider (& daughter Kenzie Pailing), Connor Ladwig, Emma Ladwig, and Katelyn Schneider; and in-laws William (“Bill”) Artz and Virginia Hintz. Other relatives and friends remain. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, infant daughter, Christina, and her beloved dog, Nikki.
The family would like to thank the staff of the Manitowoc Health & Rehabilitation Center for all the care they provided to Mary Ann while she resided there.
Due to the current global COVID pandemic, entombment at St. Anne Catholic Cemetery in Francis Creek and private family services will take place at a later date.
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