Mary Mastel, August 28, 1926- January 20, 2022

In 1926 Mary Schneider awoke for the first time. A child of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, Mary grew up in Linton, North Dakota under the watchful eyes of her mother and father, Katie (Wolf) Schneider and Mathias Schneider. Mary blossomed into a rosy-cheeked and social cheerleader. Katie taught her daughter to dance like no one is looking and to appreciate a good shot of red-eye. Mary tasted adventure when she and her best friend ran to California to live with her big sister and became a real-life Rosie the Riveter at a factory making airplane bomb doors during world War ll. Then she decided she didn't quite like the taste of adventure. Mary moved back home, married a dashing returning soldier, John Mastel, and lived in Hazelton, North Dakota for the next seventy-five years.

Mary had three children, Jonnye Mastel, Paula (Mastel) Hughes, and Patrick Mastel.  Then she sat back and waited for her children to give her the grandchildren that were her favorite people in the world.  Mary reluctantly learned to drive only to get the license ID. She would always rather walk on her own two feet and did so until her 90's. A skilled canner, Mary's jams, fruits, vegetables, and pickles were prized and devoured by her family. Mary's most loved pastime was to moshtoop and she would lure you in with fresh coffee and delicious homemade kuchen or cookies and the knowledge that all of your secrets were safe with her. But woe betide the person who tried to get her to play cards! That was strictly to be done with her grandchildren where she always let them win.

After refusing to age for 95 years, Mary slowly began to forget. She still loved to moshtoop with her close friend and nephew, Bob Brindle, but the time had come for her to move to the nursing home in Strasburg. Mary continued to love and laugh with her children and grandchildren until the end, but on January 20, 2022, Mary went to sleep and did not wake.

Although the urn in which Mary's ashes will rest is made for her small frame (5 foot 2 and not an inch less!) her spirit continues to be larger than life. Her love and laughter and gift of talking live on in her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. We will love her and remember her until we, too, sleep.