Mary Ann Blaha, 97, of Wagner

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 A.M., Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at the Assumption Catholic Church in Dante. Rosary/Wake services are 7 PM Tuesday at the church. Visitation is Tuesday from 2 to 5 PM at the Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Wagner. Burial is in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, rural Dante.

Mary Ann Blaha was born September 8, 1918, the daughter of Frank and Anna (Schneider) Kocer on a farm south of Dante, SD. She was the ninth child of 10 siblings.
Mary passed away surrounded by family on Friday, August 26, 2016 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Wagner.

Mary attended rural school through the eighth grade and helped her parents on the farm. On October 1, 1940 Mary was united in marriage to Charles Blaha at the Assumption Catholic Church in Dante. Together they farmed south of Wagner until their retirement in 1973, at which time they moved into Wagner. Charles died June 15, 2007. Mary entered the Wagner Good Samaritan Center in 2014.

Mary was a lifelong member of the Assumption Church, Altar Society and a 48 year member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She will be remembered for her delicious dumplings, kolaches and fried chicken. She loved to embroider and quilt, and many family members will treasure her beautiful work. Mary will also be remembered for her love of playing cards, especially Rummy.

Thankful for having shared her life are her sons: Donald (Lynda) of Lemoore, CA, Raymond (Lyla) of Pierre, Larry (Sharon) of Wagner, Douglas (Connie) of Wakarusa, KS and Dennis (Lori) of Rapid City; daughter-in-law Retta Blaha of Sioux Falls; 15 grandchildren; 28 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; and sister-in-law Marcine Blaha of Dante.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband Charles, son David, and her siblings and their spouses: Louis Kocer, Matilda (Frank) Soukup, Helen (Joe) Soukup, Lillian (Charles) Soukup, Rose (Tom) Soukup, Clara (Jim) Blaha, Sylvester (Betty) Kocer, Wesley (Elsie) Kocer and Anton Kocer.