Mary Ann Rye

ROTHSCHILD, Wis. - Mary Ann Rye, 91, of Rothschild, passed away on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at Mount View Care Center, surrounded by family.

She was born on May 29, 1932, in Bessemer, Michigan, daughter of Angelo and Adalgisa (Montesi) Andrina. She married Harold Vincent Rye on Feb. 16, 1952, in Ironwood, Michigan, and relocated to San Antonio, Texas, while Harold served in the U.S. Army. She learned all about ants and scorpions and not to place pies on window sills. She was trained to start the room heater, so it was warm when her husband got up. She managed to set only one hotel on fire in the process.

Halfway through raising six kids, she returned to the workforce to preserve her sanity (thanks Deb, Mike and Ken), first as a teacher's aide and later in the medical records department at Wausau Medical Center. When computers began to take over, she returned to her childcare duties, this time with other peoples' children. She resisted her family's request to return the colicky one 'cuz it was making too much noise. She did eventually fix him. Mary was a professional nanny for over 30 years. She lovingly cared for many children.

She is survived by four of her children, Kenneth (Cheryl) Rye of Kronenwetter, Keith (Bernadette) Rye of Madison, Kevin Rye of Madison, and Renee (Scott) Ristow of Mosinee; one daughter-in-law, Winnie (Michael) Rye of Des Moines, Iowa; nine grandchildren, Michael (Michelle), Jonathan and Shawn Thomas, Attalie and Shaeyla Rye, Mariah (Lawton) Lohff and Tahareh Mohammadian, Cortnee (Cody) Blair and Casey (Brandon) Normand; great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews; and one sister, Pat Mich of Kenosha.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harold; her daughter, Deborah Thomas; son-in-law, Michael Thomas; and her son, Michael Rye.

Visitation is at 10 a.m. followed by a prayer service at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5, at the John J Buettgen Funeral Home, 948 Grand Ave, Schofield, WI. Online condolences may be expressed at HonorOne.com. Burial will be at Pine Grove Cemetery at a later date.

She will be remembered as a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and for her extraordinary love of kids.

The family would like to thank the staff at Mount View Care Center for the wonderful care they gave Mary over the last four covid-challenged years. When you get the first report three hours after dropping your loved one off, that they are sitting next to the nurses' station, laughing, eating ice cream and singing, you know you've found a good place.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude or another children's charity of your choice.