MARY ANN JURGENSEN

Mary Ann Jurgensen, age 95, of Kewanee, IL, formerly of Elburn, was released to eternal life, Friday, September 30, 2022, and is now reunited with her husband Mike, and takes her place at the family table, alongside her nine siblings.

She was born March 7, 1927, as one of ten children on the family farm in Bridgewater, SD, to proud parents, Frederick and Ulinka Stredde.   

Mary Ann helped work the farm and helped with family chores while attending local schools.

Orville Jurgensen, known as O.J. or Mike to many, was friends with several of the Stredde boys, though it wasn’t long before he only had eyes for Mary Ann. They were united in marriage on January 20, 1952. Soon thereafter Mike answered the call of his country, serving with the United States Army in Korea. 

Mary Ann moved to Illinois in 1953 while Mike was overseas and settled in Aurora. She found work at Furnas Electric, the Elgin Watch Factory as well as a potato chip factory for a time. When Mike returned to civilian life, he joined her in Aurora where they soon were blessed with a daughter, Brenda.  

The family moved to the Meredith farm in Elburn and Mary Ann’s farm life as a child helped make her Mike’s “right hand woman”. She not only supported him at home, but also behind the wheel of various grain carts and trucks, delivering and sharing lunch with Mike in the fields, not to mention overseeing the drying of the corn after the harvest. She also made a place for herself behind the counter working for Bob Ream and the Ream family at the Elburn Meat Market where she became a second mom to Jim and Randy Ream before retiring at age 80.

Mary Ann was a faithful member and supporter of Grace Lutheran Church where she not only spoke of her faith but walked it as well. She also was a loyal and lifelong member of the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary and the Elburn Fire Department Women’s Auxiliary.

Mary Ann will always be remembered for the twinkle in her eye, a ready smile, and a generous laugh. Her home was always welcome to family and friends. Everyone had a seat at the table and never left hungry as her kitchen was always full of banana bread, coffee cakes, carrot cake, Swedish pancakes, strawberry pretzel salad and her prized Christmas fudge to name but a few. She loved planting a variety of flowers in the backyard and always made sure to keep her bird feeders full, so she could watch all the neighborhood fliers (as well as few pesky squirrels) when they came to visit. She and her family enjoyed numerous family vacations, and always included a friend or cousin of Brenda’s. Mike and Mary Ann also indulged in yearly trips to Las Vegas, and always dressed up for the airplane ride. Family get-togethers and card games of thirty-one, poker and kings corner, kept the home full of hugs, happiness and laughter helping Mary Ann live her life to the fullest. Her love and devotion to her husband was unparalleled. Her later life living with her daughter and son-in-law in Kewanee, IL, was marked by daily pots of decaffeinated coffee and small snacks.

She now leaves her loving daughter, Brenda (Scott) Bevans; a granddaughter, Alyssa (Chris) Strebel and their children: Siiri and Beatrice Strebel; two sisters-in-law, Mary Jane Stredde and Deon Stredde as well as several nieces, and nephews and a family of close friends.

She now joins her parents, Frederick and Ulinka; beloved husband Mike Jurgensen; 3 brothers: Fred, Carl and Walter Stredde; 6 sisters: Lorinda , Ruth, Bertha, Dorothea, Ella and Ulinka; as well as several nieces and nephews who preceded her in death.

Visitation will be Saturday, October 8, 2022, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 12 p.m., at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL 60119. Rev. David Mercurio, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, will officiate with interment to follow at Blackberry Twp. Cemetery, Elburn, IL.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Grace Lutheran Church in her memory, and mailed to Grace Lutheran Church, 5N600 Hanson Rd, St. Charles, IL 60175. Tributes and memories may be left on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook page or at www.conleycare.com.