Mary J. Buchholtz

Mary Joanne Buchholtz, age 70, beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend, drew her last breath on Easter Sunday, April 9^th, 2023.   That morning, she was reunited with her husband, as well as many family members and friends.  There is no doubt that the reunion has been spectacular—Mary always was quick with a laugh and eager to share a joke or a story.

Mary was born on October 3, 1952 in Milwaukee, WI.  In her 20’s, her sister Eva and brother-in-law Gary invited her to work on their farm in Weyauwega, where she met a local man in a hay barn who annoyed her to no end.  Naturally, Wayne and Mary soon married, raised two children — and many pets —together, and fell asleep each evening to the lullaby of the police/fire scanner.  Mary often shared fond memories of their first dog Prince (who once locked Wayne outside in the rain in the wee hours of the morning), licorice-eating “Leroy the Bull”, and absolutely everyone she met couldn’t leave without first hearing the “potato joke”.   The latter even proved true in her final days.

 
A loyal Packers fan to the very end, she spent her Sundays (and occasionally, Thursdays and Mondays) throwing snacks at the TV and cursing out the referee who definitely made the wrong call.  Mary would know…she played intramural football in college.

 
A Wisconsinite through-and-through, Mary worked on the family farm for several years, in addition to her careers at Briggs & Stratton, Churny Cheese and Wohlt Cheese.  She also volunteered at many Weyauwega Fire Department BBQs, and wrote eloquent prayers for the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society Group. Deeply religious but with a determined independent streak, “may the sky be your limit and the cross be your guide” are words that she epitomized.

Mary could recite almost every line from any episode of MASH or The Golden Girls, knew all of the WWE wrestlers’ names by heart, and would tell everyone that they absolutely had to watch The Ultimate Gift.  Speaking of gifts…during a milestone birthday, Mary was given a shirt that said “40, and still laughing in the face of adversity”, which was a mantra that she fully embraced throughout her life.

Mary leaves behind her daughter, Kristine Buchholtz and her husband Colton Erickson, her son Richard Buchholtz, her sister Fredia (Bill) Kleiber, brothers-in-law Tom Schmitz, Bruce (Nancy) Buchholtz, Dale Buchholtz, and Brian Buchholtz, her sister-in-law Betty Kaye, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and treasured friends.

  
In her passing, she was reunited with her husband Wayne Buchholtz, her mother and step-father A. Arlene and Richard “Dick” Hoppe, father Lester Colson, father-in-law and mother-in-law Harold and Beatrice Buchholtz, her siblings Bill (Sharlan) Colson, Alice Carini, Glen Colson, Joe (Ruth) Colson, Eva (Gary) Kaminske, and Jane Schmitz, nieces Holly Gronowski and Lisa Carini, and nephew Brad Kaminske.

  
Mary was the life of our party and will be deeply missed.

The Christian Funeral for Mary will be held on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New London with Rev. William Heiges officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Weyauwega. A visitation will be held at the church on Thursday from 9:00 – 10:45 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please share a fun story or do something kind for someone else, just as Mary would have done.

A profound thank you goes out to the multitude of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, CNAs, hospice staff, social workers, and clergy who dedicated over three years to mom’s care and comfort, both at home and in several facilities.  Mary saw you as a second family, and we are eternally grateful that you loved her as if she was.