Barbola Funeral Chapel

Mary Ann C. Wolff

Mary Ann Catherine (Schmidt) Wolff of Berlin, Wisconsin, passed away Sunday afternoon, January 19, 2025, with her family at her side at Country Villa Assisted Living in Omro. She was 87 and had suffered from dementia for the past seven years.

The daughter of Walter and Loretta (Marx) Schmidt, Mary Ann was born on Tuesday, August 17, 1937, at the home of her grandparents, Nicholas and Catherine Marx, in Mayville Wisconsin.

Mary Ann attended St. Mary's Catholic grade school and graduated from Mayville High School in 1955. While in high school, she was asked to write a weekly column for the Mayville News reporting on activities at the high school. This experience prepared her for becoming the wife of a newspaper editor, having met James Wolff at Wisconsin State College-Whitewater. They were married on September 19, 1959.

After college, Mary Ann worked for the Lincoln National Life Ins. Co. in Madison, and after marriage at the Princeton Times-Republic, later at Kautzer Insurance Agency in Green Lake, McQuay-Perfex (Berlin Foundry), Berlin Journal Newspapers, and Green Lake County Health and Human Services, ending her career there after 23 years. She made a multitude of friends wherever she worked and enjoyed whatever task was given her.

She was active in her church in Berlin, St. Joseph's Parish (later All Saints Catholic Parish) as a lector, serving on the Parish Council and Endowment Fund committee. She was also active in the community as a Girl Scout leader and Service Team Chairman for the area. Mary Ann bowled for Berlin Lanes and was a member of GFWC (General Federation of Woman's Clubs) all of her adult life. She held several offices and was especially fond of the Junior Women’s Club and the Friends In Council Book Club. She also served as an officer and board member of the Green Lake County Area United Fund.

She loved to read, walk, talk and laugh and often triggered laughing jags among family members. Mary Ann also enjoyed cooking, playing Password, visiting family, and writing greeting cards.

Mary Ann is survived by her husband, Jim of 65 years; three children, daughter Vicki (William) Beck and their four children, Scott (Hannah) LeBouton, Heather Abrams, Zachary Beck and Joseph Beck, daughter, Wendy (the late Donald “Butch”) Seaman and their daughters, Mindy Seaman and Amber (Andrew) Otto; and son, Timothy (Paula) Wolff and their children, Allie (Christopher) Cannestra, Abbey (Cody) Wolff and Alex (Ashlyn)Wolff; plus eight great-grandchildren, Jerimiah Billington, Emma and Imogen Abrams, Lacey and Melanie Otto, Cash Wolff, Brayleigh Cannestra, and Raelyn Wolff.

Mary Ann is further survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Catherine and Roger Kangas; sister-in-law, Jean (the late Peter) Basler; brother-in-law, Gerald (Elizabeth) Wolff; sister-in-law, Jean Wolff; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Thomas Schmidt; her son-in-law, Donald “Butch” Seaman, her brother-in-law, Cyril Wolff; grandson, Jake Beck; grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, January 25, at 11:00 a.m., at All Saints Catholic Parish in Berlin, with Monsignor James L. Gunn officiating. Private family interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, January 24, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at Barbola Funeral Chapel in Berlin, and on Saturday at the funeral chapel from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Anyone wishing to send a sympathy card to the family, please mail to Mary Ann Wolff, c/o Barbola Funeral Chapel, PO Box 201, Berlin, WI 54923.