Mary Jane 95, died peacefully at Timber Ridge Facility, East Lansing, Michigan.
She was the daughter of George and Celestine (Meyer) Castrop. Following her graduation from Freeburg High School she attended the Missouri School of Mines.
Mary Jane first came to Michigan during her late teens when she worked summers as a private cook and a nanny for Harbor Springs families. She met Carl F. Mertz during World War II when he was posted at Scott Field, Illinois in the US Army Air Corps. They married at St. Louis in 1944, celebrating 46 years of marriage before his death in 1990.
Mary Jane was foremost a homemaker, a loving wife, a mother and a grandmother. Over the years she volunteered her time as leader with the Girl Scouts and the Cub Scouts. She was a long time member of the Child Study Club. From the time she came to Lansing after WWII, she was a member of The Church of the Resurrection, devoting her time to the Altar Society until physically unable.
At an age when most consider retirement, she took lessons in tax preparation and worked for H & R Block, preparing taxes for many loyal clients for nearly twenty years.
Mary Jane was in her element when surrounded by friends and family. She enjoyed family meals and entertaining. She kept a daily and weekly schedule. She baked many scrumptious cakes, cookies and pies, but rarely ate them herself. She liked to travel. She enjoyed sharing stories about her life with her children and grandchildren. She was a skilled seamstress and made many pieces of clothing, costumes and quilts. She collected coffee cups. She was an avid reader of the daily newspaper and of books. She had a close relationship with the Foster Library staff. She was a devotee of the daily crossword puzzle which kept her sharp. She exhibited a wonderful sense of humor which blessed all who loved and cared for her.
The family is especially grateful to the staff at Timber Ridge Assisted Living Facility for their loving care.
In addition to her husband Carl, Mary Jane was preceded in death by her eldest son, William Mertz in 1992.
She will be dearly missed by her children: Carol Olmstead of Glen Ellyn, IL; John Mertz of Lansing, MI; Peter Mertz and his wife Carolyn of Hanover, NH; Mary Mertz-Smith and her husband Gavin Smith of Haslett, MI; and her daughter-in-law, Mari Vasquez Mertz of Sausalito, CA. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: David Lee-Olmstead and his wife Jennifer, Andrew Olmstead, April Olmstead Ballinger and her husband Brian, all of Illinois; Dorothy Olmstead of Alaska; Meredith Mertz and Bryan Arlen of North Carolina; Erica Mertz of Michigan; and Anna and Carla Mertz of New Hampshire. She was blessed with two great-grandchildren: Katie Lee-Olmstead of Illinois and Jameson Arlen of North Carolina. Mary Jane is also survived by two of her three brothers and their wives, Daniel and Dorothy Castrop and Ferd and Rosemary Castrop, of Oklahoma; and one of her four sisters, Juliana Luetkemeyer of Missouri; along with many wonderful nieces and nephews and their children, including special niece Kathryn DeMougin of Lansing.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, at The Church of the Resurrection, Father Wm. J. Koenigsknecht officiating. Gorsline-Runciman Funeral Home, Lansing Chapel was in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make memorial gifts to Resurrection School.
Published in Lansing State Journal on February 27, 2010
She was the daughter of George and Celestine (Meyer) Castrop. Following her graduation from Freeburg High School she attended the Missouri School of Mines.
Mary Jane first came to Michigan during her late teens when she worked summers as a private cook and a nanny for Harbor Springs families. She met Carl F. Mertz during World War II when he was posted at Scott Field, Illinois in the US Army Air Corps. They married at St. Louis in 1944, celebrating 46 years of marriage before his death in 1990.
Mary Jane was foremost a homemaker, a loving wife, a mother and a grandmother. Over the years she volunteered her time as leader with the Girl Scouts and the Cub Scouts. She was a long time member of the Child Study Club. From the time she came to Lansing after WWII, she was a member of The Church of the Resurrection, devoting her time to the Altar Society until physically unable.
At an age when most consider retirement, she took lessons in tax preparation and worked for H & R Block, preparing taxes for many loyal clients for nearly twenty years.
Mary Jane was in her element when surrounded by friends and family. She enjoyed family meals and entertaining. She kept a daily and weekly schedule. She baked many scrumptious cakes, cookies and pies, but rarely ate them herself. She liked to travel. She enjoyed sharing stories about her life with her children and grandchildren. She was a skilled seamstress and made many pieces of clothing, costumes and quilts. She collected coffee cups. She was an avid reader of the daily newspaper and of books. She had a close relationship with the Foster Library staff. She was a devotee of the daily crossword puzzle which kept her sharp. She exhibited a wonderful sense of humor which blessed all who loved and cared for her.
The family is especially grateful to the staff at Timber Ridge Assisted Living Facility for their loving care.
In addition to her husband Carl, Mary Jane was preceded in death by her eldest son, William Mertz in 1992.
She will be dearly missed by her children: Carol Olmstead of Glen Ellyn, IL; John Mertz of Lansing, MI; Peter Mertz and his wife Carolyn of Hanover, NH; Mary Mertz-Smith and her husband Gavin Smith of Haslett, MI; and her daughter-in-law, Mari Vasquez Mertz of Sausalito, CA. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: David Lee-Olmstead and his wife Jennifer, Andrew Olmstead, April Olmstead Ballinger and her husband Brian, all of Illinois; Dorothy Olmstead of Alaska; Meredith Mertz and Bryan Arlen of North Carolina; Erica Mertz of Michigan; and Anna and Carla Mertz of New Hampshire. She was blessed with two great-grandchildren: Katie Lee-Olmstead of Illinois and Jameson Arlen of North Carolina. Mary Jane is also survived by two of her three brothers and their wives, Daniel and Dorothy Castrop and Ferd and Rosemary Castrop, of Oklahoma; and one of her four sisters, Juliana Luetkemeyer of Missouri; along with many wonderful nieces and nephews and their children, including special niece Kathryn DeMougin of Lansing.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, at The Church of the Resurrection, Father Wm. J. Koenigsknecht officiating. Gorsline-Runciman Funeral Home, Lansing Chapel was in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make memorial gifts to Resurrection School.
Published in Lansing State Journal on February 27, 2010
Mary Jane 95, died peacefully at Timber Ridge Facility, East Lansing, Michigan.
She was the daughter of George and Celestine (Meyer) Castrop. Following her graduation from Freeburg High School she attended the Missouri School of Mines.
Mary Jane first came to Michigan during her late teens when she worked summers as a private cook and a nanny for Harbor Springs families. She met Carl F. Mertz during World War II when he was posted at Scott Field, Illinois in the US Army Air Corps. They married at St. Louis in 1944, celebrating 46 years of marriage before his death in 1990.
Mary Jane was foremost a homemaker, a loving wife, a mother and a grandmother. Over the years she volunteered her time as leader with the Girl Scouts and the Cub Scouts. She was a long time member of the Child Study Club. From the time she came to Lansing after WWII, she was a member of The Church of the Resurrection, devoting her time to the Altar Society until physically unable.
At an age when most consider retirement, she took lessons in tax preparation and worked for H & R Block, preparing taxes for many loyal clients for nearly twenty years.
Mary Jane was in her element when surrounded by friends and family. She enjoyed family meals and entertaining. She kept a daily and weekly schedule. She baked many scrumptious cakes, cookies and pies, but rarely ate them herself. She liked to travel. She enjoyed sharing stories about her life with her children and grandchildren. She was a skilled seamstress and made many pieces of clothing, costumes and quilts. She collected coffee cups. She was an avid reader of the daily newspaper and of books. She had a close relationship with the Foster Library staff. She was a devotee of the daily crossword puzzle which kept her sharp. She exhibited a wonderful sense of humor which blessed all who loved and cared for her.
The family is especially grateful to the staff at Timber Ridge Assisted Living Facility for their loving care.
In addition to her husband Carl, Mary Jane was preceded in death by her eldest son, William Mertz in 1992.
She will be dearly missed by her children: Carol Olmstead of Glen Ellyn, IL; John Mertz of Lansing, MI; Peter Mertz and his wife Carolyn of Hanover, NH; Mary Mertz-Smith and her husband Gavin Smith of Haslett, MI; and her daughter-in-law, Mari Vasquez Mertz of Sausalito, CA. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: David Lee-Olmstead and his wife Jennifer, Andrew Olmstead, April Olmstead Ballinger and her husband Brian, all of Illinois; Dorothy Olmstead of Alaska; Meredith Mertz and Bryan Arlen of North Carolina; Erica Mertz of Michigan; and Anna and Carla Mertz of New Hampshire. She was blessed with two great-grandchildren: Katie Lee-Olmstead of Illinois and Jameson Arlen of North Carolina. Mary Jane is also survived by two of her three brothers and their wives, Daniel and Dorothy Castrop and Ferd and Rosemary Castrop, of Oklahoma; and one of her four sisters, Juliana Luetkemeyer of Missouri; along with many wonderful nieces and nephews and their children, including special niece Kathryn DeMougin of Lansing.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, at The Church of the Resurrection, Father Wm. J. Koenigsknecht officiating. Gorsline-Runciman Funeral Home, Lansing Chapel was in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make memorial gifts to Resurrection School.
Published in Lansing State Journal on February 27, 2010
She was the daughter of George and Celestine (Meyer) Castrop. Following her graduation from Freeburg High School she attended the Missouri School of Mines.
Mary Jane first came to Michigan during her late teens when she worked summers as a private cook and a nanny for Harbor Springs families. She met Carl F. Mertz during World War II when he was posted at Scott Field, Illinois in the US Army Air Corps. They married at St. Louis in 1944, celebrating 46 years of marriage before his death in 1990.
Mary Jane was foremost a homemaker, a loving wife, a mother and a grandmother. Over the years she volunteered her time as leader with the Girl Scouts and the Cub Scouts. She was a long time member of the Child Study Club. From the time she came to Lansing after WWII, she was a member of The Church of the Resurrection, devoting her time to the Altar Society until physically unable.
At an age when most consider retirement, she took lessons in tax preparation and worked for H & R Block, preparing taxes for many loyal clients for nearly twenty years.
Mary Jane was in her element when surrounded by friends and family. She enjoyed family meals and entertaining. She kept a daily and weekly schedule. She baked many scrumptious cakes, cookies and pies, but rarely ate them herself. She liked to travel. She enjoyed sharing stories about her life with her children and grandchildren. She was a skilled seamstress and made many pieces of clothing, costumes and quilts. She collected coffee cups. She was an avid reader of the daily newspaper and of books. She had a close relationship with the Foster Library staff. She was a devotee of the daily crossword puzzle which kept her sharp. She exhibited a wonderful sense of humor which blessed all who loved and cared for her.
The family is especially grateful to the staff at Timber Ridge Assisted Living Facility for their loving care.
In addition to her husband Carl, Mary Jane was preceded in death by her eldest son, William Mertz in 1992.
She will be dearly missed by her children: Carol Olmstead of Glen Ellyn, IL; John Mertz of Lansing, MI; Peter Mertz and his wife Carolyn of Hanover, NH; Mary Mertz-Smith and her husband Gavin Smith of Haslett, MI; and her daughter-in-law, Mari Vasquez Mertz of Sausalito, CA. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: David Lee-Olmstead and his wife Jennifer, Andrew Olmstead, April Olmstead Ballinger and her husband Brian, all of Illinois; Dorothy Olmstead of Alaska; Meredith Mertz and Bryan Arlen of North Carolina; Erica Mertz of Michigan; and Anna and Carla Mertz of New Hampshire. She was blessed with two great-grandchildren: Katie Lee-Olmstead of Illinois and Jameson Arlen of North Carolina. Mary Jane is also survived by two of her three brothers and their wives, Daniel and Dorothy Castrop and Ferd and Rosemary Castrop, of Oklahoma; and one of her four sisters, Juliana Luetkemeyer of Missouri; along with many wonderful nieces and nephews and their children, including special niece Kathryn DeMougin of Lansing.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, at The Church of the Resurrection, Father Wm. J. Koenigsknecht officiating. Gorsline-Runciman Funeral Home, Lansing Chapel was in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make memorial gifts to Resurrection School.
Published in Lansing State Journal on February 27, 2010
Family Members
Spouse
Siblings
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Geraldine Ann Castrop Poettgen
1913–1983
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Adeline A Castrop Kolar
1917–2003
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Rose Alexia Castrop Eyermann
1919–1997
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Emily W Castrop Gollub
1920–2001
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Henry George "Hank" Castrop
1922–2006
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Esther Marie Castrop
1923–1924
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Juliana Marie Castrop Luetkemeyer
1924–2019
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Ferdinand George "Ferd" Castrop
1929–2014
Children
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