Mary Elizabeth Mernin

Mary Mernin was born October 26, 1933 to Harley and Mildred Nigh in Parnell, Missouri. She was raised near Parnell along with her three brothers Harold, Lawrence, and Lewis. Mary attended Rochester School of Nursing and became a Registered nurse in 1954. She married Eugene Mernin November 3, 1956, and together they farmed near Storm Lake, Iowa. Mary and Eugene had four daughters:  Marcia (Daniel) Allen, Denise, and Marlene (deceased). Mary was preceded in death by her much-loved husband, brothers, parents and one daughter. She is survived by three daughters, six grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren who she loved with her entire heart.  Mary passed peacefully October 19 at Kennybrook Village.

Mary had many trials in her 89 years but she always honored her faith by trusting in God and choosing to look at life through a positive lens. Even after losing her husband so young in life, raising four young girls alone, and later losing her ability to live independently, she still chose to look at life with optimism and hope. Some of her favorite expressions included: “you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar”, “no one can put you down without your permission”, and the constant of “now think positively!”

A woman ahead of her time with a strong business sense, for many years Mary managed their farm after Eugene’s untimely death in 1973. She made decisions on planting and selling of the crops and keeping detailed farm records.  She did all this while working as a nurse and raising her four daughters.

Mary was a gifted baker and cook and loved to entertain. She was just fun to be around! She was always looking for reasons to gather family and friends together for a meal or an event at her home and you didn’t leave her house hungry or empty-handed.

Mary chose nursing as her profession and lived her nursing values. She worked for many years at the Buena Vista Clinic in Storm Lake helping care for friends and family. Mary always cared about others more than herself.  She was a mother to EVERYONE!

Another passion of Mary’s was travel and for over 30 years she indulged that passion with trips to exotic places such as China, Australia, Africa, and Germany, just to name a few. She loved the world God created. She quit taking photos on trips as she thought the captured images were not nearly as beautiful as what she had in her memories.

She loved the holidays and tried hard to make every holiday special but she especially loved Christmas.  She loved decorating, shopping, wrapping, and gift-giving. In short, Mary loved to make her family and friends happy.

Mary was grateful for every day of her life and now she will be warmly welcomed by her heavenly Father and rejoin her beloved husband, daughter, and parents.

Services will be at Saint Francis of Assisi Church on Thursday, October 26, her 90th birthday, with visitation at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in Storm Lake October 29th, 50 years to the day her beloved husband was buried. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Conception Abbey in Conception Missouri or the Alzheimer’s Association.