Obituaries : Mary Jane (Stallman) Ockenfels

Mary Jane (Stallman) Ockenfels entered into eternal rest on June 5, 2022. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Ludmila Catholic Church by Rev. Kenneth J. Glaser at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, 2022 with burial to follow at St. Michael's Cemetery in Norway. Friends may visit with the family on Wednesday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 6:30 p.m. at Teahen Funeral Home. Friends may also visit at the church on Thursday after 9:30 a.m.

Mary was born on July 8, 1938 to Louis and Elsie (Frimml) Stallman, the eighth child of 14. She grew up on the family farm and graduated from Norway High School where she played basketball (Go Tigers!). She eventually moved to Cedar Rapids where she met Larry Ockenfels on a blind date. The two were wed on November 26, 1960 in Norway. They began their lives together in a home on the northeast side of Cedar Rapids and had four children, Doug, Joe, Kim, and Angie. The family later moved to Swisher and Mary worked as a cook at Prairie High School. She retired in 1989 to become a "full time babi" to her nine grandchildren, where she made sure there were plenty of things to do, fresh baked cookies, and most of all, love. Mary enjoyed time spent with family, playing cards, gardening, and cheering for Iowa basketball.

Left to continue her legacy are her husband of 61 years, Larry, her four children, Doug (Krista) Ockenfels, Joe (Micky) Ockenfels, Kim Hurlbert, and Angie (Dusty) Svoboda, her nine grandchildren, Tessa (Alex) Bendlage, Amy (Dan Turnis) Ockenfels, Matt (Jayde) Ockenfels, Megan Hurlbert, Ben Ockenfels, Katie Ockenfels, Jordan Svoboda, Olivia Svoboda, and Emma Svoboda, a great-grandson, Cooper Bendlage, and another arriving in August, siblings Rita Peck, Marvin (Deanna) Stallman, Celestine Duncalf, Doris (Ed) Ballard, and Beatrice Stallman and in-laws Rosemary Beadle,Therese Rausch, Marilyn Gooding, Marge McFate, and Ginny Storjohann Scarlett.

Waiting to welcome her at the gates to Heaven are her parents, siblings, Ed, Glenn, Terry, Franklin, Louis Jr., Donald, Irene, and Stella and in-laws Mort Ockenfels, Dick Ockenfels, and Caroline Dohrer.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at West Ridge Care Center and Hospice of Mercy for the exceptional care and comfort they provided to Mary.

We love you forever, we will miss you for the rest of our days, until we meet again in heaven.

Memorials may be directed to St. Ludmila's Parish or Hospice of Mercy Cedar Rapids.