Mary Catherine Schmitz Bluske

Our wonderful, caring mother, "Granny Mary", sister, aunt and friend went to heaven on February 19,
2016 surrounded by family and friends.

Mary Catherine Schmitz Bluske was born November 15, 1938 in La Crosse, WI to George H. and Leona M. (Hass) Schmitz and raised on the family farm on La Crosse's south side. She graduated from Aquinas High School in 1956. She was a loving, devoted woman who worked in the nursing profession starting as a CNA in 1954 at St. Francis Hospital (now Mayo Clinic Health System). She went on to work at Gundersen Lutheran (now Gundersen Health System) as an LPN in 1959. In 1978 Mary graduated as an RN and worked at Gundersen and Bethany St. Joseph. From 1982 to 2000 she was the patient care coordinator for Rolling Hills Rehabilitation Center in Sparta and helped to organize the Alzheimer’s Unit for them and other facilities in the area.

Retirement was wonderful for Mary. She thoroughly enjoyed her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, her children, brothers, sister and their families and they in turn were blessed by her. "Sport Camp" week with grandma was an annual event as was The Nutcracker every Christmas season. She loved to cook, talk, travel, throw parties, read, her church, volunteer, work in her yard, and golf. Mary was the most generous person you could hope to meet and we all have memories of wonderful gatherings and trips we will cherish forever.

She married Arlin (Chuck) Bluske in July of 1959 at St: Thomas Moore in La Crosse. They had 4 children and were later divorced. On April 9, 1983 she married Richard (Scotty) Scott in La Crosse.

She is reunited in heaven with her daughters, Kathy & Debbie, her husband Scotty, her brother Greg, and parents George and Leona.

She is survived by her loving sons, Mike (Barb) Bluske of Baraboo, Steve (Cindy) Bluske of Onalaska, brothers, Tom (Mary) Schmitz of Oakland CA, Paul (Helen) Schmitz of Washington DC, Francis (Judy) Schmitz of La Crosse, Eugene-"Geno" (Lorrie) Schmitz of La Crosse, and sister Teresa (Gordon) Lindner of Arlington Heights IL, sister-in-law Barb Schmitz of La Crosse, grandchildren Derek (Crystal) Allard, Don (Rachel) Allard, Katie Bluske, Tyler Bluske, great-grandchildren Cassidie, Drake, Amaya, Sienna and Daelyn and many treasured nieces and nephews.

The family requests no flowers, but rather memorials to St Patrick's Church in Onalaska or Gundersen
Health System Heart Association.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, February 26 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 1031 Main St in Onalaska with Msgr. Steven Kachel officiating. Friends may visit on Thursday, February 25 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Schumacher Kish Funeral Home, 907 Sand Lake Road in Onalaska and on Friday from 9:30am until the time of services at the church. A Rosary will be recited Thursday evening at 5:00 PM. Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.