Lipsmire, Mary

Mary Lipsmire (nee Ebenreck) passed away on Wednesday, November 6th, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. She lead a life filled with love for 86 years, and is now at peace with her husband of 60 years, James Lipsmire. Dearest mother of Carol (Charles) Marinaro, Mary Ellen (Jack) Fox, Jeannie (Chris) Gearin, Jim Jr. (Christine) Lipsmire, Peggy (Jeff) Evers, Susan Giles, and Barbara (Paul) Schmidt; loving grandmother to 16 grandchildren, and great grandmother to two great grandchildren; loving companion to Maggie, her golden retriever. A dear sister, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, and a great friend to many.

Caring for others was always at the top of Mary’s mind. She started her career as a nurse, and then came to care for her children and her husband, eventually taking on the role as bookkeeper for her husband’s company, J.L. Marketing. She baked for the Marthas at SMMA for many years, providing a bit of sweetness for those who had lost a loved one. She served as an Oasis Intergenerational Tutor at SMMA, sharing her knowledge with young people. Mary was always there for others, whether they needed advice, a listening ear, or a good laugh. She was a loyal and loving friend to many, including her nursing classmates, who she remained friends with for 65 years; friends from her long-running bowling team; and a group of friends who worked at Anheuser-Busch that has continued to meet up for decades.

Mary had a unique gift when it came to bringing things, and people, together. Her hands crafted countless creations with her knitting needles, including baby blankets for every child, grandchild, and great-grandchild, and dozens of blankets won by the family in laughter-inducing games of Rob Your Neighbor on Christmas Day. Her quick thinking led her to thousands of wins in Canasta, Phase 10, and 5 Crowns, and she passed on her love for games by teaching her kids and grandkids how to shuffle a deck, with a bridge flourish to finish. She loved reading, especially mysteries, and shared that with her loved ones, often trading books with her adult children. She brought her family together for years of family beach vacations, holidays hosted at her Warmwinds home, and annual camping trips in Washington State Park. All seven of her children, even when given the freedom to explore the world, all chose to live in St. Louis, which is a testament to the tight-knit family she created with her husband. Her faith was very important to her, and she made many contributions to the community at her home parish, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, where she attended Mass every Sunday.

As her children had their own children, Mary played a central part in bringing the large family together for countless birthdays and holidays to share food, laughter, and endless card games. On Thanksgiving the house would be full of the smells of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pies; on Christmas, the tree in the living room would be lit with vintage bubble lights over a pile of presents. Yet her house also displayed a sign with the reminder: “A Perfectly Kept House is the Sign of a Misspent Life.” She always knew how to have fun, whether it was organizing an outing to play bingo or go to the casino, gathering a group to play tennis or go bowling, or hosting her own holiday games and raffles, where all of her children hoped to be the lucky recipient of the $100 egg on Easter. Her true focus was on making her kids and grandkids feel welcome and loved. Several grandchildren lived with her at different times in their early years, giving her and Grandpa Jim a strong role in their lives. She would take kids for walks down to the neighborhood pond to pick mulberries, chase geese, and attempt to catch fish. A wonderful listener who kept up with her grandchildren’s paths through school and their careers, Mary never forgot to send cards with lottery scratch-offs on holidays. She always demonstrated her support to her kids and grandkids by showing up for them, always there to congratulate them for a job well done at graduations, sporting events, school plays, art shows, and  any other interests she could support. With some help from children and in-laws, she kept up with the digital age and was skillfully using emojis and swiping through Instagram stories in her 80s.

Following a brief illness, she spent her final days resting comfortably with family nearby and keeping up with her St. Louis sports teams and Hallmark Christmas movies on the TV. In her final two years, she missed her beloved husband Jim very much, and while she is sorely missed, her family is grateful that she is reunited with him now.

Throughout her life, Mary showed what it means to create a loving family and be a wonderful friend, and how to sustain those bonds over decades. She lives on in the love shared by her children, grandchildren, and friends.

A private interment will take place at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Friday, November 15th.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the de Greeff Hospice House are appreciated. https://give.mercyhealthfoundation.net/give/368974/#!/donation/checkout?utm_source=mercy&utm_content=practice&c_src=mercy&c_src2=practice