Mary C. Seitz Brown Kearns

PORTAGE – Mary C. Seitz Brown Kearns, age 87, of Portage, died on Friday, July 5, 2019 at Hamilton Park Place in Portage, following an illness.   

Mary was born on September 28, 1931, in Mauston, the tenth child born to Michael and Ida (Prill) Seitz.  She married Robert L. Brown on November 10, 1951.  Their first child, Richard R. Brown, born on September 11, 1952, died shortly after birth.  They had three additional children; Randall R. Brown, Sandra L. Brown and Robert R. Brown.  Mary lost her first husband to cancer on December 7, 1971.  She married Blaine T. Kearns on November 1, 1980.  He died on June 11, 1993. 

Mary was employed at Kroger Egg Exchange for 14 years.  She followed that with employment at Ray-O-Vac for 30 years, spending the last 20 as Production Supervisor.  She retired from Ray-O-Vac on January 1, 1995 and began to enjoy a life of travel, exercise, bowling and enjoying all of her wildlife (who she fed daily) in her backyard while residing in her home on Brittingham Court in Portage.  In November of 2008 Mary moved to Manchester Place Apartments and had many friends there.  Her health began to decline late in 2018.  She was no longer able to live independently and reluctantly moved to Hamilton Park Place Therapeutic Assisted Living in Portage on February 1, 2019.  She slowly developed friendships with some of her care providers and mentioned often how much she liked the food.  She developed a close relationship with the facility’s nurse and would always look forward to her visits with “Dr. Sue”.

Mary was a member of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Portage where she had been a Communion Minister, a member of the Resurrection Choir, and belonged to the Catholic Women’s Club. She was also a member of the DAV Auxiliary, a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and she loved the outdoors.         

Mary is survived by her two sons, Randall (Roxanne), of Montello, and Robert, of Portage; her daughter, Sandra, of Portage; two sisters-in-law, Bernadine Seitz, of Mauston and Carol Anacker, of Portage; her step-granddaughter, Anna McIlvoy; her step-son, Michael (Sandy) Kearns, and many step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and special friends Russell and Judy Shaw whom she considered a part of her family as well. Mary was preceded in death by her parents and her husbands, her infant son, her brothers, Charles, Bobby and Fred Seitz, her sisters, Rose Seitz Penzkover Rausar, Dorothy Seitz Przybyeski Van Hoosen, Irene Seitz Penzkover, Margaret Seitz Goodenough, Lauretta Seitz Dean and Frances Mary Seitz.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 305 W. Cook St., in Portage, with Fr. Gary Krahenbuhl presiding. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday July 9, 2019 at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage, and on Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., at the church.   

The family would like to thank Dr. Blohm for many years of caring for Mary.  She always brightened up when she saw “her Dr. Blohm”.  We would also like to thank the “girls” at Hamilton Park Place for taking good care of Mary and for keeping her smiling.  We would especially like to thank the staff who gently cared for our mother during her final hours.  We greatly appreciated the way they treated her with respect and dignity.  

The family would also especially like to thank Agrace HospiceCare for their work with Mary and the support that they have given her family during this time.