Obituary of Mary Engeltjes

A Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Engeltjes, age 70, of Spirit Lake, will be held Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 10:30 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Spirit Lake. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at St. Margarets Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Memorials in honor of Mary will be given to the Abben Cancer Center. Mary Rose Engeltjes, the daughter of Larry and Marguerite (Ehrhardt) Berns, was born December 16, 1948 in Carroll, Iowa. She was named after her two aunts, Mary Geraldine Gundacker and Rose Marie Matsler. She attended grade school in Volga, Iowa, graduated from high school in Elkader, Iowa in 1967 and received her Business Degree from Mt. Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1992. On August 1, 1987, Mary was married to Dave Engeltjes in Cedar Rapids. She worked as a Supply Chain Director for several years and after retiring in 2011, they moved to Spirit Lake. Mary enjoyed gardening, sewing, church activities and attending St. Josephs Crafter sale in Elkader, Iowa every year with her family. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family and entertaining her granddaughters at the lake every year. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Catholic Daughters and NAPM Eastern Iowa. Mary passed away January 3, 2019 at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake at seventy- years of age. She is survived by her husband, Dave Engeltjes of Spirit Lake; son, Brad (Lori) Kolarik; granddaughters, Morgan (Joe) Eken and Abby Kolarik; brothers, Greg Berns of Oelwein, Iowa and Jim (Lorraine) Berns of Colorado Springs, Colorado; sisters, Helen Shew of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Janet Lillie of Eoyta, Minnesota, Joanne (Rafe) Koopman of Garnavillo, Iowa, Colleen (Frank) Lindaur of Longmont, Colorado, Karen (Larry) Nation of Rochester, Minnesota and Kathy Berns of Dunwoody, Georgia. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Larry and Marguerite Berns; nephew, Aaron Berns and brother-in-law, Elvin Shew.