Mary Lee Owings Reuss
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Mary Lee (Owings) Reuss died on October 21st, 2021, in Phoenix, AZ, at 98 years old. Born September 1st, 1923, in York, PA, the daughter of Margarita Stuart Lee and Stanley Dorsey Owings, Mary Lee graduated from Lower Merion High School in Lower Merion, PA. She married George Reuss on July 17th, 1943, in El Paso, TX.
Because she was a devout Christian, Mary Lee dedicated her life to caring for others. She and George settled in Janesville Township, Janesville, WI, in 1949, where they raised four children and, beginning in 1966, many foster children. Mary Lee graduated from the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Janesville in 1958 and became a Public Health Nurse in Janesville shortly thereafter. She was appointed Supervisor of Public Health Nurses from 1970 until 1978. During her tenure as supervisor, she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from The College of St Francis in Joliet, Illinois. She went on to serve as Director of Nurses at Caravilla, Beloit, then as a staff nurse at Rock Haven in Janesville, and finally retired from Skaalen in Stoughton, WI, while in her 80s. Mary Lee continued to foster parent until 2011.
She was widely recognized for her lifelong commitment to the disadvantaged communities of Southern Wisconsin with foundational and leadership positions in such organizations as the Wisconsin Association for Retarded Children, Rock County Day Care Services, Wisconsin Community Health Nurses, Janesville Lo-Cost Housing Corp., Community Action, Kandu Industries, Jail Chaplaincy, Human Rights Council, ECHO, Rock County Foster Parents Association, and Skaalen Home.
Mary Lee is survived by her children Fred Reuss, Thomas Reuss, Linda Hart, and Martha Asplund, as well as many foster children including Chris McCarthy, Diane Mendrzycki, Crystal Wolff, Rita Williams, Kelly Jackson, Barb Burnett, Lisa Slagg, Kenneth Solles, and Katie Tans, along with their many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Mary Lee was preceded in death by her husband George, her brother James Owings, her foster daughters Nancy Blumer, Carol Courtright, and Shirley Johnson, foster grandchild Ivy Suchorski, and foster great-grandchild Maxx Stageman.
Visitation begins at 1:00 PM on Saturday May 14, 2022, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 210 S Ringold, Janesville, followed by the Funeral Service at 2:00. A Celebration of Life and meal (catered by Kandu's Best Events) will be served in St. Paul's Fellowship Hall immediately following the Service.
In lieu of flowers, Mary Lee preferred donations be made to Kandu Industries or ECHO.