Mary Ann (Eckrich) Tuchscherer was an idealistic and sporty girl who skated, played tennis, and swam. She grew into a beautiful woman, and she kept her idealism, her smooth crawl stroke, and her beauty all her life.
During the war she entered nurse's training at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago. At the age of 21, she married Dan Tuchscherer, a P-51 pilot and a man in love. They kept that love alive for 67 rambunctious years of all the joys and demands that their puppy-pile of 11 children could produce.
She was the ultimate good sport. She did everything with gusto, whether it was cleaning game, staining woodwork, tobogganing, acting in home movies, soothing babies, picking pickles, or feeding throngs.
Anybody could always find a welcome anytime from Mary Ann -- no need to call ahead. Remember the time Tommy invited a bus full of kids from St. Louis to spend the night?
Mary Ann became a real estate broker at 54, Dan's best fishing partner at 64, and never stopped loving babies, reading, knitting, birds, and smelling those pines. Never a complainer, her cure for any ailment was "scrub a floor."
Mary Ann is survived by her husband, Daniel Tuchscherer of Oshkosh; her children, Patricia (Susan Marth), Marsha, Jane (David Cody), Sue (Steve Sielemann), Jim, Bill (Devron), John (Becky), Tom (Michele), Ann (Don Allen), David (Minimay) and many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who adore her.
She was preceded in death by two sons, an infant son, Timothy Paul, and Daniel Roman Jr.; her brother, James Eckrich; and her sister, Elaine Owen.
Services will be held on Saturday, September 29, at St. Raphael Church in Oshkosh. Visitation with the family will take place from 10 to 11. Mass will be held from 11 to noon with Father Luke Ferris officiating.