Mary Lou Augustine (Thiese), 89, formerly of Monona, IA, passed away on Nov 21, 2023 at Cedar Community in West Bend, WI where she and her husband, Richard have lived for the last 3 years. Mary Lou suffered a broken hip and entered hospice care in September. She is survived by husband, Richard, son John (Jenny) Augustine of Milwaukee, WI, daughter Brenda (Mark) Gabriel of River Falls, WI, daughter Linda (Dave) Bures of Dubuque, IA, and son Lee Augustine of Brookfied, WI; eleven grandchildren: Jacob (Amy) Augustine, Jonathan Augustine, Jackie (Dan) Schmidt, Emily (Levi) Myers, Ben Gabriel, Isaac Gabriel, Andrea (Chad) Anderegg, Josh (Hilary) Anderegg, Kyle (Rachel) Augustine, Kari (Wes) Lawson, and Kaja Augustine; 10 great grandchildren, and her sister Ruth (Scott) Angle of Phoenix, AZ. Her parents, sister Audrey (Ken) Schroeder, and one granddaughter Amy (Bill) Less, preceded her in death.
Mary Lou was the oldest of 3 daughters born to Emil and Lillian (Matt) Thiese on April 17, 1934, in McGregor, Clayton County, Iowa. She was baptized in St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, on May 6, 1934. Mary Lou’s faith in Jesus began in her early days of confirmation and was evident throughout her life. She grew up on the (Theodore Matt) family farm working with her dad bringing in the hay, milking cows, and working the land as well as sewing, gardening and preserving food with her mom. Enjoying her time in 4H, she brought various entries to the Clayton County Fair each summer. Growing up during the depression also forged in Mary Lou the ability to reuse and recycle instead of throwing something away. She was “green” before green was a thing.
Mary Lou attended country school until 8th grade. Miss Rugman, her music teacher at country school, developed and applauded Mary Lou’s musical abilities in those formative years. Music, especially singing, became a connecting place for Mary Lou throughout her life.
Mary Lou graduated from Garnavillo High School in 1952 and Wartburg College in 1956 with a BA in elementary education. While teaching in Beloit, WI, she met her husband, Richard, at a dance class. Square dancing became a lifelong enjoyment for the two of them. Mary Lou and Richard were united in marriage June 14, 1958 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Farmersburg, IA. They returned to Northeast Iowa and began farming on the same land where Mary Lou grew up. Mary Lou became the mother of 4 children in just under 5 years. In 1965, they purchased an 80 acre farm just outside of Monona, IA where they lived for 53 years.
Mary Lou worked in the MFL school district for 27 years, teaching remedial math and reading, and 5th grade social studies and science. She had a lifelong love of learning. Mary Lou would incorporate her travels, her knowledge of nature, or whatever she was currently learning into her teaching.
Mary Lou and Richard spent 25 winters in Arizona where she enjoyed square dancing, singing in choir and talent shows, hiking, card playing, potlucks, and sharing life with people in the community of Desert Sun Condominiums in Apache Junction. Her computer-made cards and photographs of the Superstition Mountains were well known and appreciated. Spending Christmas Eve with their square dance friends was a highlight for Mary Lou each year.
The early experiences of living on the land showed up in Mary Lou’s love of gardening and growing healthy food. Becoming a master gardener, she was always experimenting with what to grow and how to mulch it. She kept bees, and her grandchildren still talk about her applesauce. She made her surroundings beautiful with flowers and trees, even propagating the fern leaf peonies passed down from her mother and grandmother. Their 40 acres of woods were a favorite place for Mary Lou.
Mary Lou and Dick explored Norway (with Audrey & Ken), and Germany, Switzerland and Israel together. The couple also made great efforts to travel to most anywhere their kids and grandkids had events going on. Mary Lou invited many people into her home over the years. Relatives, neighbors, friends, and people from various places and stations in life were all welcome.
Loving the hymns and music of the Church, Mary Lou participated in choirs and cantatas in Monona, Arizona and West Bend. She sang in the kitchen, in the garden or wherever she was working. She prayed regularly for her family and friends. The farm girl from Iowa understood Psalm 23 – the Lord is my shepherd – as God showed his faithfulness in her life.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 pm with a Visitation from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm on Friday, January 5, 2024 at Leonard-Grau Funeral Home in Monona, Iowa.
Inurnment will take place at the National Cemetery, Clayton County, Iowa at a later date.