Mary Helen Schleicher, 97 of Austin, Minnesota, died Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin.

She was born Sept. 16, 1921, in Springfield, Illinois, the daughter of John and Lena Marie (Blase) Maslo. She was baptized Oct. 16, 1921, and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Springfield. Following high school graduation, she attended Springfield Jr. College for two years, received her teaching degree, and then taught in Springfield. Mary’s mother regularly hosted Concordia Theological Seminary students at dinners in their home. Mary met Curtis John Schleicher at one of those dinners. On July 29, 1945, Pastor Curtis Schleicher and Mary Maslo were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Springfield. Their marriage was blessed with five children. They served in Deaf Ministry and in LCMS Lutheran churches in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Milbank, South Dakota, and Austin, moving there in 1968. Mary enjoyed her role as wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was an active pastor’s wife, directing children’s choirs, teaching Sunday school, VBS, and first-year confirmation classes. At St. John’s Lutheran Church in Austin, she organized a large ministry of “Women’s Home Bible Studies.” She led and taught the groups’ leaders, who then taught the 75 women in the small groups. Pastor Curtis Schleicher died on Nov. 19, 1994. Mary continued every-week worship and participation in St. John’s activities until her health changes in 2019. Besides the blessings of church involvement, she also enjoyed her personal Bible study, family times, cooking, reading, sewing, knitting, gardening, her children’s and community music performances, walking, golf, playing Bridge, watching the Minnesota Twins and the daily phone conversations with one or more of her children. Mary will be dearly missed.

Survivors include her five children, Mary (Douglas) Dahn of Peachtree City, Georgia, the Rev. John (Carol) Schleicher of Austin, Donald (Linda) Schleicher of Jupiter, Florida, Jane (Donald) Young of Springfield, Oregon, and Carol (Douglas) James of St. Paul, Minnesota; 13 grandchildren, Kristine (Clifford) Prahl of Wausau, Wisconsin, Kimberly (the Rev. Gregory) Hetherington of Roanoke, Virginia, the Rev. Mark (Julie) Dahn of Peachtree City, Michael (Jennifer) Dahn of Decatur, Illinois, Elizabeth (Andrew) Hanson of Rochester, Minnesota, Matthew (Kimberly) Schleicher of Spring, Texas, Vicar Jason (Amy) Schleicher of Tomball, Texas, Jonathan (Chelsea) Schleicher of Spring, Dana (Matthew) Hagan of Cary, North Carolina, Veronica Schleicher of Jupiter, Capt. Paul (Holly) James, USMC, of San Diego, California, Sandra (Lonny) Bisping of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Luke James of Minnetonka, Minnesota; 23 great-grandchildren, Erin, Joel, Kayla, Nate, Karissa, Chloe, Jordan, Ian, Ryan, Nathan, Jaden, Cody, Adley, Isaiah, Noah, Micah, Elizabeth, Zachary, Levi, Lydia, Caleb, John and David; special niece, Arlene (Fred) Ananias of Springfield, Illinois; and many other relatives and friends. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis; parents, John and Lena Maslo; five sisters, Katherine, Ella, Irene, Florence and Elsie; brothers-in-law; and grandson, Andrew Schleicher.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 4, 2019, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Austin with the Revs. John Schleicher and James Groleau officiating. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin and will continue for one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the church. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Austin. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church or recipient of donor’s choice. Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.