Mary Ann Rausch

Mary Ann Rausch, 85, Bismarck, died August 7, 2012, at St. Gabriel's Community, Bismarck. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am Monday, August 13, at Church of Corpus Christi, Bismarck, with Rev. Paul Becker officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Bismarck. There will be no viewing as cremation has taken place. Family will receive guests starting at 5:00 pm Sunday, August 12, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a rosary/vigil will begin at 6:30 pm. Mary Ann was born November 18, 1926, in Elgin, ND, the daughter of Tony and Minnie Rausch. The family moved to Glen Ullin, Dickinson, and then Bismarck in 1937, when Tony and Minnie founded the Rausch Furniture Co. Mary Ann graduated from St. Mary's Central High School in 1944 and the College of Saint Teresa, Winona, MN, in 1948. She returned to Bismarck to work at the Rausch Furniture Co. for eight years. In February 1956, she packed all her belonging in her 1949 Chevy and drove to Denver, CO, where she lived for 50 years. Her career path included: 10 years at Sundstrand Corp. where she was payroll supervisor for this company of 1, 500 employees; then to Ireland, Stapleton, Pryor, and Holmes Law Firm for two years as office manager to set up a new timekeeping system. She was invited to join a new company being formed as Outdoor Sports Industries which was taken public and traded on the American Stock Exchange. Mary Ann was elected corporate secretary and asst. treasurer. When the company became too successful and was bought out, she ended her career as asst. vice president with Bank of America in their stock transfer administration. In 2004, Mary Ann moved back to Bismarck to be near her siblings. Mary Ann was an avid Denver Bronco Football fan with season tickets for 25 years and she attended their first Super Bowl in New Orleans. Mary Ann loved to travel: was in Hawaii for the big celebration the very day they declared statehood, went parasailing in Cancun, helped inflate the hot air balloon that took her for a ride at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, was invited up on stage at the Lawrence Welk Resort Theater in California to join the troupe for piano and line dancing, sailing to Europe on the QE-2 and flew back on the Concorde. She enjoyed Bridge, organizing foursomes in condo trades to sight see places during the day and play bridge evenings. Mary Ann was also one of the 8, 962 "Snow Angels" on February 17, 2007, to win the Guiness World record making snow angels on the Capitol grounds. She was a willing volunteer in the Seeds of Hope Christmas shop. Mary Ann suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis and Pulmonary Fibrosis. Mary Ann is survived by two brothers and two sisters all of Bismarck, Bob Maggie Rausch, Tom Twylla Rausch, Audrey Ed Behrendt, and Karen Al Wolf; 11 nephews and 16 nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, Tony and Minnie Rausch; her brother, Vernon; and her sister, Millie Gallagher. Memorials may be given to Rausch Scholarship Fund at St. Mary's Central High School, Bismarck, ND, Rausch Memorial Scholarship Fund at University of Mary, Bismarck, ND or the donor's choice.

Mary Ann Rausch

November 18, 1926 - August 7, 2012