Mary Ann “Mare” Paulsen, 87, of Stockton, passed away at home on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017.
Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Mary will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 22 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Long Grove.
Burial will take place in St. Ann’s Cemetery in Long Grove.
Visitation will be Thursday from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the church. There will be additional visitation Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the mass time at church.
The Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Memorials may be made to St. Ann’s Parish.
Online condolences and remembrances may be expressed to the family by visiting Mary’s obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.
Mary Ann Cronkleton was born Feb. 24, 1930, in Allen’s Grove to Harry and Ursula (Halligan) Cronkleton. As the youngest daughter in a large family, she was protected by her big brothers. She graduated from Immaculate Conception Academy in Davenport in 1947 and later earned her teaching certificate at Mount St. Claire College in Clinton. She taught grades K-8 at Allen’s Grove. She was involved in the Durant PTA and was a volunteer at Mercy Hospital for several years.
Mary was united in marriage to Gerald Paulsen on Feb. 12, 1949 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in downtown Davenport. The two enjoyed 66 years of marriage as “Mary and Gerry” (“Mare and Ger”) until his passing on April 10, 2015.
Mary and Gerry ran the family farm near Stockton, for more than 50 years. They were charter members of the Wahkonsa Country Club and were charter members of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church and John F. Kennedy Catholic School. Mary and Gerry were avid card players as members of the Couples Card Club for more than 65 years, and Mary was a member of the long-standing Arsenal Bridge Club. In addition to cards, they enjoyed traveling especially family reunion trips to Vail, Colorado and Door County, Wisconsin, and were great fans of the Chicago Cubs.
Mary is survived by her sister Jane Cronkleton of Davenport; a sister-in-law Mary Louise Cronkleton of Donahue; her children and their spouses Barb and Bill Swanson of Omaha, Laurie McCauley of Omaha, Tom and Joann Paulsen of Brookfield, Wisconsin and Barb and Brad Wentworth of Round Rock, Texas; her grandchildren and their spouses Travis Paulsen and Sonja de Lemos of Costa Mesa, California, Adam and Anne Paulsen of Solana Beach, California, Lindsey and Steve Weix of Denver, Matt Paulsen and Morgan Youngblood of Denver, Tom McCauley of Amherst, Massachusetts, and JP Dugan of Lino Lakes, Minnesota; four great-grandchildren: Ava, Mya, Hans and Dasha Paulsen; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband Gerry; her parents; her son David; her brothers and their wives Howard and Mary Therese Cronkleton, Jim and Lorraine Cronkleton, Joe Cronkleton, Tom and Wilma Cronkleton and Larry and Mary Francis Cronkleton; her in-laws Clarence and Leona Paulsen; and her son-in-law Bruce McCauley.
Mary will be remembered as a loving wife, a wonderful mother, a doting grandmother and great-grandmother, a fun-loving friend, and a force to be reckoned with.
The Paulsen family would like to thank the staff of Genesis Hospital and Hospice for their care and support and Anna Castaneda for her service and friendship.
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