Mary C. (Drazkowski) Baron

Mary C. (Drazkowski) Baron, 95 and resident of Benedictine Villa in La Crosse passed away on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at the Gundersen Health System. She was born April 22, 1925 in Ironwood, MI to Vinko and Anna (Mukavitz) Lackovich. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Theodore Drazkowski and also by her second husband, Robert Baron.

Mary and Ted raised, and Mary is survived by seven children and their spouses; Daniel (Amy) Bennet, Pauline (Lawrence) Kallevig, Mark (Karen) Drazkowski, William (Jeanne) Drazkowski, David (Lisa) Drazkowski, Patricia (Mark) Carpenter and Cathy (Michael) Juran; 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her parents.

Mom did not like long obituaries, making this a difficult task to honor her full life of 95 years. Mom was first and foremost a homemaker. Her purpose in life was caring for her family. She never did anything halfway. She was driven, an overachiever. She made three meals a day, every day. When she baked it wasn’t one thing, it was several things. There were no less than 15 different kinds of Christmas cookies and candies during the holidays. Any craft her hands touched turned out beautifully. She was an accomplished seamstress. She knitted, crocheted and cross stitched. She began quilting in her 70’s, making a quilt for each of her children and sometimes grandchildren every Christmas. Our home was tastefully decorated and homey. When her hands weren’t busy sewing our clothes, cleaning up after us or making delicious meals, she was serving others with them. Mom, a devout Catholic, spent much time in prayer. She volunteered at church in many different capacities. She was a giver. One of her favorite charitable acts was buying winter coats and snowsuits for the kids at Hamilton Elementary School every year. For fun, mom liked to travel, and she was known to visit a casino or two (nickel slots). Mom liked chocolate so much that we kidded her it wasn’t the 5 ^th food group. She would put the bite sized candy bars in her candy dish for all to enjoy and hid – as she called it – ‘the good stuff’ for herself. When mom no longer felt a need to care for children or others, she realized her life’s purpose had been fulfilled and God called her home. All in all, her life was very well lived.

In Mary’s memory, memorial donations may be sent to the Hamilton Elementary School to help carry on the winter coats for kids tradition.