Mary Ann Peschel

Mary Ann Peschel, 94, of Osmond, Nebraska passed away December 11, 2024 at the Colonial Manor in Randolph.  Funeral services will be Saturday, December 21st at 10:30 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Osmond with Rev. Kevin Vogel officiating.  Burial will be in the parish cemetery at Osmond.  Visitation will be Friday, December 20th from 5-7:00 pm with a vigil at 7:00 pm at St Mary’s Church.  Ashburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Ann (Gubbels) Peschel was born on November 27, 1930 at home, one mile south of Osmond to Mathias and Cecilia (Krienert) Gubbels.  Mary Ann attended St. Mary’s Catholic School her first eight years.  She then attended Osmond High School and graduated in 1948.  Mary Ann was the first in her family to graduate high school.  After graduation Mary Ann worked for various mothers in the Osmond area including the Loyal Petersen, Elmer Petersen and Art Bilau families.  Mary Ann was then a bookkeeper at Dawson Oil from 1950 to 1953, a job which she thoroughly enjoyed.

Mary Ann married Frank Peschel on November 24, 1953 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Osmond.  Frank died on December 2, 2006.  Mary Ann and Frank started their marriage living in a trailer house next to Frank’s parents’ house.  They then moved to an acreage south of Osmond for a short time, and in 1955 to the farm they rented north of Osmond.  In 1971 they purchased the farm.  They built their retirement home in Osmond in 1992, on the same lot they had their trailer house where they began their married life 39 years prior.  To this union five children were born, James, Monica, Diane, Margaret and Thomas. They were all born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Osmond.

Mary Ann was a farm wife and mother.  She was in the barn milking cows twice a day, she raised chickens for eggs and butchering, had a large garden which meant canning vegetables, was busy doing other farm jobs, making meals for those helping on the farm, all while raising a family.  She also worked many weeks helping Frank tear down an old farmhouse and that lumber was used for many building projects. She mowed her own lawn until she was 91.

Mary Ann was involved in Sunnydale Club; St. Mary’s Guild, serving as president; Christian Mother’s Society; Catholic Order of Foresters; taught CCD; was Communion Minister; served on the election board; cleaned the church; was a Library volunteer; played in several card clubs and was a Legion Auxiliary member where she made the best hamburgers at the Poultry Parties!

Mary Ann had many hobbies from sewing, square dancing, ballroom dancing and bowling in many leagues.  She also loved to travel.  Her first big trip was driving to California with her mom and sisters in 1953 to visit brother Jerome, who was a Marine stationed in Santa Ana.  Other travels included visiting many US states, and Europe to see Rome, Lourdes and Medjugorje.  One trip she talked about many times was being in Rome in 1978 and having a rosary blessed by Pope John Paul I, who passed away after being pope for only 33 days.  Mary Ann and Frank spent a few months in Arizona during the winter months.  She enjoyed going to casinos and one time even traveled through a blizzard to get home.  Mary Ann attended every Alumni Reunion for Osmond High School from their start in 1954 to 2022.

She is survived by five children, Jim (Beth) Peschel of Osmond, Monica (Gary) Geistwhite, of Farmington, New Mexico, Diane (Larry) Rogers of Duncan Lakes, Nebraska, Peg (Randy) Boice of Omaha and Tom Peschel of Sioux City, Iowa; ten grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren; sisters Lavine Pint of Pierce and Arlene Smith of York and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and brothers, Norbert, Richard and Jerome.

Mary Ann lived across the street from the St. Mary’s School and loved to look out the window and watch the children at recess.  Mary Ann was always proud to say that she, Frank and all five children attended St. Mary’s Grade School in Osmond, so because of that we would like memorials be directed to St. Mary’s School.