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Preisack 1

In Loving Memory

Preisack, Mary M. (nee: Majewski)

December 30, 1939 - May 22, 2024

Wednesday, May 22, 2024. Mary passed away suddenly in the home where she had built a life with George since 1966.  

 Mary went to grade school at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic School for some years and one-and two-room schoolhouses in Todd’s Mill, Illinois. She graduated with four years of perfect attendance from McKinley High School in St. Louis in 1957 and began a couple days later working as a secretary until she and George married in 1961. 

 Mary loved being a stay-at-home mom and wife until Lynne and Jeff reached high school when her mother (Elizabeth) came to live with the family and split time between both daughters (Mary and Lucille). 

 In 1978, Mary went back to work full time as the secretary to the general director of Opera Theatre of St. Louis (Richard Gaddes). Suffice it to say, Mary loved the arts! She enjoyed every minute of her time at OTSL as well as The Sheldon, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Grand Center as it was getting off the ground. After George died in 1986, Mary worked in various secretarial positions, finishing out her career at Centrifugal & Mechanical Industries in 2007. 

 In 1996, Mary became a Gammy to Andrew and then Kevin a year later. To follow were two more grandsons—Matthew and Michael—and a granddaughter Sarah. Mary fully embraced her life as “spoiler-in-chief” of her grandchildren. She attended the plays and musicals and sports games of Andrew, Matthew, and Michael. She came to Kevin’s violin concerts and Sarah’s art shows. She sent cards and letters and notes and texts to these fine young people for every occasion and even for no occasion other than she was thinking about them. 

 From Mary’s upbringing in her extended family on a farm in southern Illinois, she is survived by her first cousins Dorothy (Kellerman) Faust and Aileen Valentine. Mary is also survived by her sister-in-law Claudia Preisack and her brother-in-law James Preisack. Near and dear to Mary were her second cousins the Spayde girls, the Koop girls, the Maas girls, and the Bathon, Wahoff, and Valentine children. 

 She will be missed by nieces and nephews John (wife Cissy, Daniel, and Erika) and Julie Barr; John, Bill, and Mary Berger; and Julie, Jill, Joni, and Brian Preisack. Her texts, emails, and deep conversations will be missed by her longtime friend Frederick Medler. 

 Surviving in Mary’s immediate family are her children Lynne (David) Gronefeld and Jeffrey (Janet) Preisack and her grandchildren Andrew (Kayla) Preisack, Kevin Melter, Matthew Preisack, Michael Preisack, and Sarah Gronefeld. 

 Mary was a devout Catholic her whole life, sending novenas in times of distress, continuing her mother’s support of Our Lady of the Snows and the Norbertine Fathers, and praying the rosary daily. 

 We will remember Mary for her steadfast listening ear, her sound advice, her joy in the arts, her love of learning and a good hardcover book of American history, her stellar organizational talents, her Pinochle skills, and her pride in her German and Polish heritage. She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed. 

 SERVICES: A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Mark Catholic Church (4200 Ripa Ave., St. Louis, Missouri 63125) on Saturday, June 15 at 11:30 am. Interment at Resurrection Cemetery Chapel directly after Mass. Luncheon will follow at Pietro’s (3801 Watson Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63109) starting around 1:30 pm for Mary’s family and friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Bayless Academic Foundation through the Bayless School District would be appreciated.

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7 thoughts on “Preisack, Mary M. (nee: Majewski)”

  1. I am so very sorry to learn of Mary’s passing. She was a wonderful neighbor and friend and the sweetest kind woman. I am truly heartbroken. My deepest condolences to the family and all who loved her. GOD BLESS ,and may HE comfort you and bring you peace and understanding that only HE can give

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  2. I am very saddened to hear of Mary’s passing.
    We emailed & talked by phone often, especially during Covid. She ended every email, call or card with the words “you take good care of you”.
    Wonderful advice, and I will miss her.

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  3. Was very sorry to hear of Mary’s passing. Sending our condolences to all. I felt a special connection to her as she was my sponsor for Confirmation. Was happy we could get together for our annual cousins reunion pre Covid. She was always glad to answer my genealogy questions for which I am forever thankful.
    Prayers and peace to you.

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  4. My husband and I were sorry to hear of the loss of Mary. She was so kind and so very helpful. While not a direct relative, she became known to us as family and a friend. We will miss her. Our Prayers are with her family.

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  5. I was so sorry to hear from Mary’s children that she passed. She was a wonderful sister-in-law, always amazingly kind, thoughtful and supportive. I always loved and admired her knowledge and work ethic. I will always remember the fun times we had. Throughout the years, we kept in touch, especially around holidays. We always joked about who was having the most fun.

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  6. It has been every bit of a full month since the passing of my very dear friend, Mary Preisack, and I confess I remain at a loss as to how to express my grief properly. Short of writing a fairly long college thesis it seems impossible, The often lengthy, and ongoing, weekly conversations we have continued to share all these many years are now missed more then ever as I have really had no other person to engage with on so very many diverse subjects matters across so varied a scale. Just how does someone replace that level of profound engagement when it has grown and evolved over so many decades and personal life experiences?

    Mary and I first met back in the summer of 1988 and within short order became fast friends when she started working within the Grand Center redevelopment organization, overseeing the renewal of my former midtown, St. Louis neighborhood. Working in offices less then a block from my home, she parked very close by, and often would stop by after work allowing us to engage in hours of conversations, most especially with regards to urban renewal redevelopment issues, historic preservation, etc. It was Mary who essentially helped me to maintain my sanity and healthy sense of humor during that most trying period of my personal life.

    In my ongoing, written autobiography I have set aside an entire chapter dedicated to Mary and that incredible friendship we shared together. There is still much more to be written. It has been stated many times throughout recorded ages that although we can all have many numerous social friends and special acquaintances that can be both profound and significant, meeting that one person that can read you and understand you in the deepest and truest sense is a blessing very few will ever know and experience within an individual lifetime.

    This world was a significantly better place when Mary came into being. I consider myself a much better man and individual for having her being a most significant part of my ongoing adult life. And, as I write these very words in modest tribute to Mary I can only desire at this moment to once again express my most profound condolences to her wonderful family. God bless you one and all.

    God bless you, dear Mary. May God embrace you within his loving arms.

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