dren, before he was called home ahead of her on February 26, 2003. Mary was always a diligent and hard worker, who was not only a full-time wife, mother and homemaker, but also shared her talents as a cook with Albrecht Acres and the Dubuque County Jail. She had many hobbies in her free-time, and one of the most notable was her love of collecting, drying and shelling thousands of nuts each year. Mary spent many an hour in happy contentment securing her necessary supply for delectable pies and rolls, as well as for her Farmer's Market stand where she was guaranteed to be sitting every Saturday. Her hobby did come with a few "work hazards" though, as getting "Alvin" out of the house proved to be quite a challenge for her children. Mary was also well known for her love of anything related to Elvis or Potosi; always looking for the next treasure to be added to her ever growing collection. She also enjoyed spending time in the great outdoors tending to her gardens, heading out for an evening of Bingo, sneaking out to try her luck with the handle at the casino, or even a spirited game of cards with family and friends. However, her unwavering love of family was definitely a primary focus in Mary's life and her words, thoughts and actions as such were always on display for all to see. She absolutely loved family gatherings and nothing could ever compare to the glory of the holidays in Mary's heart and mind. Throughout her life Mary has unfortunately also experienced some terrible heartache along the way. Losing her husband, and 2 sons, left a hole in Mary's heart which was never going to be filled while she was still walking along her earthly journey. Our sorrow today, caused by the sudden absence of our loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend is somewhat consoled by the thought and realization that Mary will be spending this Thanksgiving with her Heavenly Family, and we know and trust that one day we'll all be celebrating together again around the table.Those left to cherish Mary's memory includeher 9 children,
Annette (David) Grant, Cedar Rapids, IA,
Michelle (Jeffrey) Ketterer, Dubuque, IA,
Marsha (Gary) Gander, Fairfax, IA,
Amy (P.J.) Cahill, Marion, IA,
Tony (Amy) Duehr, Balltown, IA,
Lisa (Rick) Klinkhammer, Balltown, IA,
Lori Duehr, Cedar Rapids, IA
Stacy Duehr, Cedar Rapids, IA
and Henry Duehr, North Liberty, IA;her 22 grandchildren,her 13 great-grandchildren,and her brother,
Keith Livens, South Milwaukee, WI.Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lavern Duehr; 2 sons, Nicholas Duehr, in infancy and Raymond Duehr; a grandson, Logan Grant; a sister, Betty (Austin) Senerchia; and a brother, Joel Livens.A Mary K. Duehr memorial fund has been established, which will be distributed among her favorite charities.Mary's family would like to extend a special thank you to Mike and Cindy at Breitbach's Country Dining for their thoughtfulness in ensuring every Friday night she had a hot meal, flowers on the holidays, and memorable conversations with lots of laughs and hugs, thanks Mikey, Ben and Annie. Also thanks to the LVAD Department at UIHC, especially Kyle, Carol, Dr. Goldberg and Dr. Coltran for their wonderful care of Mary.
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