Obit: Wirz, Mary Ellen (1956 - 2019)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Klein, Lindow, Schoenfuss, Strebig, Wirz

----Source: The Star News (Medford, WI) 3/09/2019

Wirz, Mary Ellen (26 JUL 1956 - 6 MAR 2019)

Mary Ellen Wirz, 62, of Wausau, Wisconsin, peacefully passed to her Spirit World on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at the Aspirus Hospice House in Wausau, Wisconsin.

A Celebration of Life for her will take place on Saturday, July 27, 2019 at the High Point Village Resort, adjacent to Timm’s Hill County Park in Ogema, Wisconsin.

Mary was born on July 26, 1956 to Eugene and Irene Wirz in Medford, Wisconsin and attended Medford Public Schools - graduating from Medford High School with the class of 1974. From there she began a diverse path of life adventures which included: computer programming - the never ending winds of Wyoming - a stint in South Dakota - semis, furniture, and truck stops - diapers - 2 marriages and 2 divorces - cut outs - kitchen cupboards, wallpaper and paint - the writing and self publishing of a book - bees - and an active participant for the preservation of the Earth and its resources and creatures.

Mary was very conscientious and passionate about everything she undertook - and that passion also carried over to all the people, animals, and causes she held dear to her. She was never one who could turn down helping any animal in need, and her lifelong love of them and concern for the environment played a large role in the writing of her book “When The Animals Vanished”. The other baby and pride and joy in her life was her 1966 Chevelle SS 396, which was with her through many of her adventures and which she looked darned good cruising around in. It will live on to continue cruising the highways in her memory.

Mary was preceded in death by her baby brother Jim “Phred” Wirz; by her mother, Irene Wirz; and by all the dogs and horses she had in her life.

Survivors include father Eugene Wirz and brother Rich (Christie) Wirz, both of Medford WI; sister Rita (Dave) Strebig of Wausau WI; her partner Robert Lindow of Wausau WI; nieces Tessa (Nick) Schoenfuss of Omaha NE, Kayla Wirz of Milwaukee WI, Brittany Strebig of Farmington CT, and Devan Strebig of Arlington VA; great-nephews Colin Schoenfuss, TJ Klein, and Ressick Klein; and all her friends who got to know and love her and are now left without her.

Please join us on July 27th for a day for Mary. There will be an informal ceremony beginning at 11:00 AM, but we will be there all day so feel free to drop by whenever you can. Copies of her book will be available should anybody be interested, and as per her instructions, will be “given to anyone who wants one”. Any and all memorial donations will be given in her name to Best Friends Animal Society and various other animal organizations.