Mary Louise (Thielmann) Schommer, 85, Richmond

April 12, 1937 - July 28, 2022

Mary Schommer was born at home in Cold Spring, Minnesota on April 12, 1937. She was the second youngest of a dozen Thielmann children. She was baptized, confirmed, educated, and married at the St. Boniface Catholic Church and School. It was at St. Boniface High School, that Mary met her future husband, LeRoy Schommer. After Lee’s graduation, Mary faithfully wrote to him while he served in the US Air Force, until he came home and married her on May 10, 1958. Their marriage spanned just short of 63 years with a daughter, three sons plus a bonus, nine grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Mary left for heaven from St. Cloud Hospital on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at the age of 85–just 15 months after Lee.

First and foremost, Mary & Lee planted and watered the seeds of faith in their children constantly. They prayed every day for us, a decade of the rosary for each child. The family rule was that we only needed to pray at meals where we served potatoes, and we never missed a prayer. We always knew where Mom & Dad were going when they died.

Mary & Lee took on especially important roles in Pat’s life. They showered immeasurable love and support on Pat and her kids—who were 10 & 15 at the time—upon Butch’s death 21 years ago.
Mary is remembered for hanging over the boards at outdoor ice rinks and baseball parks watching Chuck, Jim, & John play, along with Brandy—our St. Bernard, not her preferred beverage. She kept umpires and referees on their game. They knew Mary’s voice as well as her own kids! In more recent years, she preferred to watch the Twins and Vikings alone, so she could coach (holler at) them too.

Mary got more relaxed with each child, and so we are thankful we still have John. When she drove around a corner once, the car door suddenly opened, and John fell out—obviously before seatbelts. (It’s probably a good thing that John was the last child!) And informally, Mary & Lee adopted Glenn Rood into our bunch—something for which he’s been forever grateful.

Mary’s other loves included her first gang, “The Four Little One’s”—the four youngest in the Thielmann family. They met regularly without their older siblings. They were so close! Beyond family, she had her Book Club; and “The Hens”—a group girlfriends who met from grade school on, beginning when they were just chicks. Over the years, many organizations and people appreciated, or at least tolerated, Mary’s involvement. She was tenacious and quick to offer her opinion. And most of the time, we dearly loved her for it.

Whether she was your Mom, your “Gram” or Great-Gram, your sister, your godmother, your best friend, “little auntie”, “Mini”, Shorty, Tillie, or just Mary to you, she always made you feel that she loved you best.

A funeral mass will be celebrated for Mary on Thursday, August 4th, 11:00 AM at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Cold Spring, Minnesota with Visitation beginning at 9:30 AM. Her final resting place will be at the MN State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls, Minnesota.
Mary is survived by her children, Pat, Chuck & Kris, Jim & Theresa, John, and Glenn Rood; grandchildren, Kate & Justin Haffner, Andrew & Kaitlin Behrendt; Lindsay & Jordan Brouillet, Kaela; Ryan, Kyle, Matthew, and Brady; and Hallie; great grandchildren, Murphy & Piper Haffner, Liam Behrendt; and Kelyn Brouillet; siblings, Vaya & Vince Sturm; Noney Plantenberg; Marlene Plantenberg; Carrie Theisen; and Wally & Louise Thielmann; Godchildren, Susan Prout; and Tucker Plantenberg; and countless others.

Mary is predeceased by her parents, Laurence and Loretta; husband Lee; her son-in-law, Butch Behrendt; Godson, Tim Hukriede; many siblings, in-laws, and nieces and nephews.