Mary Helen (Bring) Gatzemeyer

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” Winnie the Pooh 

Today we say goodbye to our beloved Mary Helen Gatzemeyer. After a two and a half year battle, she entered eternity on January 1, 2022 from complications of ovarian cancer. She was born in Lyons, Nebraska on April 20, 1947 to the late Dale and Jane Bring. She was the oldest of seven children, the late John Bring, Joel (Janice) Bring, Jeff (Becky) Bring, Nancy (Lester) Kiefer, Beth (Joe) Carter, and Jerry (Michelle) Bring.

She was brought up in a strong Catholic family, and how wonderful that the first time she caught the eye of Tim Gatzemeyer was during Sunday mass! During their 55 years of marriage, they raised eight children: Debra (David) Vavra, Thomas (Petra) Gatzemeyer, Tyler (Meredith) Gatzemeyer, Sheila (Travis) Nester, Jennifer (Jonathon) Glassburn, Travis (Brandi) Gatzemeyer, Sherri (Abel) Medina, and Scott (Brook) Gatzemeyer. Through them, she received the blessing of 18 grandchildren and 2 and a half great-grandchildren: Andrew, Austin, Trey (Sarah), Adrienne, Sidney, Dylan, Cassidy, Kimberly, Kaitlyn, Nicholas, Hayden, Jackson, Amy, Olivia, London, Gavin, Aubrey, Cash, Elliot, Braxton, and little Khloe due in February.

Many people know that Mary enjoyed gardening, sewing, baking, raising and showing animals, and traveling with Tim. But few may know that she was once a nationally ranked snowmobile racer, nurse's aide, and volunteer EMT. She was an office manager for a travel agency, veterinary clinic, and a RV campground. She started a country school board, 4H club, and a Pony of the Americas (POA) club for the state of Nebraska. Oftentimes, she did all this while running the family farm and raising her children. 

Her leadership overflowed into her devotion to the church as well. She was an active member of the altar society, singer in the church choir, auctioneer at fundraisers, teacher of religious classes, and manager of the religious articles department. For her parish, she also used her talents to give handmade blankets to newborns, rosaries to new brides, and prayer shawls to the sick. 

Mary’s family is a circle of strength and love. Each birth and every union the circle grows. Every joy shared adds more love. Every crisis faced together makes the circle stronger. #GatzemeyerStrong

To view the funeral on Saturday, January 8th at 10am:

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2ujr1?u=https-

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