MaryAnn Schraudner, 89, passed away Monday, September 3, 2018.
Abraham Lincoln said of his mother, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” This statement is true of our mother. To her family, she was MaryAnn, Mom, Deedee, Aunt Maryann, and Sis. She was special not only to Dad, us girls, and the grandchildren, but to her nieces and nephews, her brother, and her dear friends. Mom was there for us all, to listen to our troubles, to laugh at our goofy jokes, to give us a hug, and to share in our joys and sorrows. And of course, she was there for us when we were sick; comforting us with reassuring words and a gentle touch.
Mom had a way of making everyone feel welcome. For all of us, the neighbors and friends, she maintained an “open door policy”, having a cup of coffee for those who dropped by the house and more often than not a meal to go with it. More importantly than that, Mom was always there for Dad; they were quite the team, making their dreams come true together. They were inseparable, having been together for 68 years!
Mom had many talents. She could sing and play the piano and the organ. We three girls have fond memories singing with her while she played the piano. She learned to sew and got so good at it that she ended up making most of the dresses we wore to school. She was a good businesswoman, too. Mom was a great cook; a talent she inherited from Grandma. If you were to ask the grandkids, they would tell you that they loved her cooking, and each had a favorite meal she would prepare just for them.
She also had a wonderful way with animals. She had a pet chicken that she taught to ride on her bicycle with her; her horse, Candy, whom she taught to lie down so that she could get on him; and a horse that she could stand on while her dog sat on his rump. She really did love animals as was apparent in all her childhood pictures, for there is an animal in every one of them!
BUT we believe her greatest talent was her ability to listen. She always found the time. When we were through talking, sometimes for an hour or so, she would offer solid, down to earth, objective advice.
Mom didn’t travel the world, but she was vastly aware of the world we live in. She enjoyed reading the Billings Gazette and Time magazine as well as watching CNN and Court TV. She took pleasure in talking politics. She listened to Coast to coast, watched funny sitcoms, and enjoyed music; playing it and listening to it. Her favorite song was Moon River.
If we were to list adjectives that best describe Mom they would be: wise, intelligent, funny, perceptive, sensitive, kind, loving, social, graceful, endearing and a survivor.
If you were to ask her what she liked most in life it would go like this: her family (Leo, her kids, her grandkids, and great-grandsons), horses, dogs, cats, and chickens…well just about any animal…. except lizards and snakes! She appreciated the smell in the air after a rain, the smell of sagebrush, and the smell of horses. She took pride in her yard. She loved the sight of green grass and trees. She enjoyed playing cards, dancing, playing the piano, going on cruises, and being with family and friends. She especially loved her animals – Cowboy, her dog, and Friday, her cat who was by her side when she died.
Although you are in a different place, you have not really left us, for you are in our hearts, our thoughts, in all that we are. You have been our rock, a positive influence on our very existence. We are who we are as a result of you.
We who were touched by her will miss her immensely. Our sorrow is great but lessened in knowing that Mom is at peace; basking in the warm embrace of family who have come to meet her and to take her home.
We love you, Mom, and we miss you!
She is predeceased by her husband, Leo Schraudner; her son, Dick Schraudner; her parents, Harold and Anna Lehfeldt; her grandson, Danny Schraudner, and Danny’s mother Myrna Schraudner; and her brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Barb Lehfeldt. She is survived by her three daughters, Leanne Schraudner (Todd), Kathy Fink (Frank), and Vicky Schraudner (Al); six grandchildren, Brad Schraudner (Sandy), Kara Fink (Matt), Laura Fink, Taylor Schraudner (Doc), Dillion Hillier, and Brittany Nokleberg; and three great-grandsons, Ronnie Armijo, and Emrys and Henning Fisk. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews in both the Lehfeldt and Schraudner families.
A Memorial Service will be announced at a later date.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com
