Mary Elizabeth Aschenbrenner, 92, Rice

June 5, 1933 - June 15, 2025

Mary Elizabeth Aschenbrenner (nee Hillenbrand), age 92, was born June 5, 1933, in Mora, MN to Peter & Anna (Rosaur) Hillenbrand and died at home on Sunday, June 15, 2025.

Mary grew up on her parents’ farm in Ogilvie, MN. After graduating from Mora High School, she went to work as a bookkeeper at Elk River Power. She met Richard “Dickie” Aschenbrenner at a dance at the fairgrounds. They were married on September 16, 1961, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Cloud. Mary worked dutifully alongside Richard on their dairy farm north of Rice. After retiring to a hobby farm, they enjoyed traveling and playing cards with relatives and friends. Mary was proud to say she had five daughters and five grandsons.

Mary was happiest in her kitchen and delighted in being a grandmother. She was an excellent seamstress, capable gardener, and master of home canning. Countless hours were spent pouring over cookbooks, making birthday cakes, and serving made-from-scratch meals. She was quiet, but her food spoke volumes about her love for those around her. Always shy, she generally stayed in the background, but she stepped up in service to her faith community. At Immaculate Conception Church, she was an active member of the Christian Mothers, served funeral lunches, taught CCD, co-chaired the summer festival a couple years with Richard, and coordinated the pie room for festival dinners. Her snowflake molasses cookies and gingerbread boys were a delight to shoppers at the annual Cookie Sale at church.

Mary was hard-working and expected the same from others, as evidenced by her motto, “First we work and then we play.” She rarely played. Mary was strict in her approach to mothering, but she threw the rules out the window when the grandkids came along!

When her health declined, she continued in her dutiful nature, bearing the crosses placed on her life. We rest in the hope that she is in Heaven now, free from suffering, embraced in the arms of Mary, Jesus, and Joseph to whom she prayed so often.

Mary taught many skills to her daughters and will be deeply missed by the five of them: Margaret Aschenbrenner, Theresa Aschenbrenner, Marilyn Seanger, Patricia (Mathew) Montgomery, and Linda (Duane) Kroll; along with her five grandsons: Kent (Ashley) Seanger and Adam, Simon (Rhiannon Theis), Isaac, and Kaden Kroll; long-time friends Kathy and Kathy; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband in 2020, parents, and siblings: Sr. Anna, Cecelia, and Joseph Hillenbrand.

Rev. Virgil Helmin and Rev. Kenneth Popp will preside at a Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, June 18, at 11 AM. Rosary at 9 AM, followed by visitation. Immaculate Conception Church in Rice. Interment at Immaculate Conception parish cemetery. Arrangements by Williams Dingman Family Funeral Home of Sauk Rapids. Special thanks to Linda Kroll and her family for taking such good care of mom.

SERVICES

Visitation
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Rosary at 9 AM followed by Visitation until 11 AM
Immaculate Conception Church, 130 1st Avenue NE, Rice, MN 56367
Mass of Christian Burial
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
11 AM
Immaculate Conception Church, 130 1st Avenue NE, Rice, MN 56367