Mary Ann (Ehlenbach) Ristow passed away peacefully on February 4, 2025 at the age of 89. Up until the end, Mary maintained her amazing energy and focus, compassion for others, love of family and friends, and expressed gratitude to God for her long life, full of wonderful and varied experiences.

Mary was born in Milwaukee, WI on December 12,1935, the third from last of 11 children born to Arthur and Anna (Horst) Ehlenbach. She attended Mother of Good Counsel Catholic grade school and Messmer High School in the city. Mary was a diligent student and dreamed of continuing her education to perhaps become a doctor. However, in her late teens she met Delano H. Ristow, a quiet and handsome fellow who became the love of her life. They married in 1956 and soon after started a family, eventually raising five children. Mary's husband, Del, built their first home near Minocqua, WI and Mary used to reminisce about landscaping the yard on the lake there, and putting her oldest daughter and son on a sled to pull them in the snow as she walked along the driveway to meet Del after his work day. In 1959 the family moved to Hartford, WI, where Mary delivered her third child. A couple years later they settled in Menomonee Falls, where Del took a job at Langer Roofing Company, and Mary birthed her fourth child and devoted herself to managing the household and chauffeuring growing children to sports and school activities. Mary was very creative and enthusiastic when it came to supporting and advising her children in various educational projects, contests, and competitions. In 1968 Mary and Del decided to purchase property "up north" in the Kiel area for family weekend recreation initially, then moving there by 1970. Del established Ristow Roofing Company, and Mary became manager and bookkeeper. A fifth child was born, and they also bought a building that was once a tavern and dance hall in Steinthal and renovated it to become a fine restaurant with club membership. Mary was very busy handling that business as well, besides raising children, maintaining their properties (esp. hours of lawn trimming), volunteering as President of Christian Women at St. Gregory Parish in St. Nazianz, and participating in various church fundraisers, and as a member of Kiel Association of Commerce for 25+ years, for which she personally raised the greatest amount of annual funding to support community events. In 1996 a tragic fire burned down their club-restaurant, Steinthal Valley Lodge, and the lot sat vacant for 10 years, until Del and Mary decided to build a chapel in that spot. It was a physical labor of love for both of them as Del constructed the building with the assistance of Kiel High School shop class and Abler Glass, and Mary designed the interior of what became" Mary, Queen of Our Hearts Chapel." Many ideas and some decor items were sacred mementos of their travels to Europe. Mary esp. enjoyed a pilgrimage to Medjugorje and relished her special rosary purchased there. The chapel was blessed and dedicated within the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay and was Mary's pride and joy and fulfillment over the past 17 years. She maintained the grounds and entertained prayer groups and pilgrimages and arranged annual Masses in honor of Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus.

Mary was a woman of many talents and taught her children skills needed to make a happy home. She esp. enjoyed cooking and entertaining friends and family, baking pies for church festivals and her own mother's recipe for peanut squares she would take to family reunions. She also used to sew by hand beautiful dresses for dolls donated to fundraisers, stuffed animals for baby gifts, and her own daughters' ballet costumes for recitals. Mary sang in her choir for awhile, and in recent years, was a communion distributor, including for visits to local nursing homes. She was proud to tell folks about her 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, and spent many years up to the present babysitting and attending holidays, birthdays, and events to show her support and love and thoughtful gift-giving to all of them. Mary enjoyed golfing and skiing with Del, and gardening, feeding the birds, and spending time in nature on their property in Kiel as well as at a cabin in Wyoming. She took delight in teaching her children and grandchildren how to fish, ice skate, play baseball, bocce ball, and horseshoes, engaging them in board games or Bible stories. Mary and Del were fortunate to also have lived to celebrate their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries together.

Mary was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Delano, her parents, and her siblings: Ralph (Sis) Ehlenbach, Audrey Ehlenbach, Kenneth (Grace) Ehlenbach, Clifford (Audrey) Ehlenbach, Jean (William) Schulz,, Joseph (Carol) Ehlenbach, Thomas (Loretta) Ehlenbach, Anthony Ehlenbach, and Rita (Thomas) Lester. She is survived by five children: Denise (Charles) Deibele of Kiel, Daniel (Cheryl) Ristow of Seal Beach, CA, Debra Blair of Boulder, CO, Dale (Kylie) Ristow of Kiel, Daryl (Jacqueline) Ristow of Box Elder, SD; 12 grandchildren: Luke, Paul, and Eric Deibele, Lindsey and Jacquie Ristow, Danielle, Alex, Rachel, Elisabeth and Kaiden Ristow, Steven and Lehna Ristow, and 10 great-grandchildren: Twins Owen and Levi, Mabel, Hudson & baby girl due in March, Arielle and Cambrie, Beau, and Aliyah and Maya.

Funeral services for Mary will be held at 11:00AM on Saturday, February 15, 2025 at St. Gregory Catholic Church, St. Nazianz, WI. Officiating at the Mass will be Rev. Josuva Arulanandu, with burial to follow in the church cemetery.

The family will greet relatives and friends on Friday, February 14, 2025 from 3:00PM until 7:00PM at Meiselwitz-Vollstedt-DeTroye Funeral Home, 815 -6th Street, Kiel. The visitation will continue on Saturday from 9:00AM until 10:45AM at St. Gregory Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to any of the organizations below:

American Heart Association, St. Vincent De Paul-Kiel, Arbor Day Foundation (Plant a Tree Program).

The family also wishes to thank Valders Ambulance Service and EMT personnel, the Emergency Dept. staff at Ascension-Calumet Medical Center in Chilton, and the clergy who administered the Sacrament of Last Rites for their prompt response and professional care