Mary Lou Niemuth passed away on September 13, 2020.
She was born in Chicago on October 31, 1927, the daughter of the late Edward and Frances (Shelburn) Patrykus. She was the eldest of eight children. In 1943 the family moved to Irvine, California, before finally relocating to Wisconsin Rapids permanently. After attending high school in Wisconsin Rapids, she worked as a nursing aid at the River View Hospital. In 1946 Mary Lou moved to Duluth Minnesota, where she met and married Lee Scouton. During this period she had her first child, Gail. Following another move back home to Wisconsin Rapids, the family welcomed their second child, Paula. When that marriage ended in divorce, Mary Lou and the girls moved to Tucson, Arizona and Grand Marais, Minnesota, finally settling in Waupaca County which she called home for 65 years. She met the love of her life, Norman Niemuth, at the Chain O’ Lakes Casino. After a short courtship, they were married Saturday April 8, 1961 in St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Waupaca. Their relationship was a foundation in Mary Lou’s life. Mary Lou and Norm cherished their home “Little Acres” in Sheridan, WI. It was their little piece of heaven and a gathering place for family members for many years. They enjoyed taking visitors for walks through Little Acres, which included their garden, picking wild blueberries and raspberries, and if you were lucky, getting to flatten coins on the train tracks. After Norman passed she moved into a cute apartment at Angelus Apartments in Waupaca. She lived there for 10 years meeting many new friends along the way, and enjoyed living life as a little old lady. There she immersed herself in talking politics, sports and her family. Mary Lou didn’t know a stranger. Everyone she met was a new “friend”. She was a natural caregiver. If you needed help, food, a place to stay or a shoulder to cry on, she was there. Being the eldest of eight children, she embraced the role of oldest child, being a second mother to her siblings. Her greatest joys were her children and grandchildren.
Mary Lou is survived by siblings, Joan (Max) Moates, Tucson, AZ; Ruth Frohmader, Camp Douglas, WI; Edward (Amelia) Patrykus, El Paso, TX; Dave (Marlis) Patrykus Wisconsin Rapids, WI; Fred Patrykus (Mary Sherwin) Wisconsin Rapids, WI; James (Dinah) Patrykus Bloomington, MN; Kathryn (Jamshid) Javenbahkt, Denver, CO; grandchild, Elizabeth (Jesse) Crain, Appleton; Shelly Babino, Little Chute; great-grandchildren: Josh Meronek, Waupaca; Finn Crain, Appleton; Jordan Meronek, Gabby Fitzsimmons, Little Chute; Chirstien Fitzsimmons, New Lisbon, WI and 57 nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Frances Patrykus; husband Norman Niemuth; children, Paula Scouton and Gail Darinski; grandchildren, Michelle, Jason and Justin Meronek and brother-in-law George Frohmader.
Memorial Service will be on Saturday September 26th at 4:00 p.m. at the Maple Crest Funeral Home. Visitation from 2 until time of memorial. In lieu of flower,s a memorial has been established in her name.
The family wants to thank everyone who cherished grandma like she was family, even if she wasn’t. She was able to live on her own until she was 91 because of the love of her friends and family. And thank you to the Touchmark staff that took amazing care of her in her final months.