St. Peter, put some Chuck Berry on the celestial turntable, heaven is about to get a lot more fun.  Mary Motis, 86, died on September 27, 2024, in Superior, WI and is heading your way.

Mary was born in St. Paul, MN to Kendall and Ethel Priester on April 13, 1938. She graduated high school from Derham Hall High School in St. Paul and went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison and ultimately graduated from the University of Minnesota. She married an absolute hunk of a man, Benedict Motis on January 20, 1962, and they enjoyed 50 years together. Ben and Mary raised three daughters: Christina, Suzanne and Julianne. The family lived in Okinawa, New Brighton and North Oaks, Minnesota, and Montreal, Quebec. Ben and Mary retired in Wascott, Wisconsin.

Mary had an insatiable zest for life. She was curious, adventurous, and always game to go and do! She was a fabulous skier, be it schussing down mountains, flying across water, or enjoying a quiet cruise through the woods. She was a master bridge player, a gourmet cook, a tennis player, an expert knitter and avid reader. She knew how to reupholster furniture, sew clothes or curtains, and swing a hammer too. If there was something she didn't know how to do, she wasn't afraid of learning and trying. Making baskets, fishing the northern waters of MN, WI, AK, and Canada, decorating Ukrainian easter eggs, building rustic furniture, felting wool, you get the picture! She especially loved her family of which she was extremely proud.

She is preceded in death by her husband Ben Motis.

She is survived by her daughters: Christina (Randy Kline), Suzanne (Daniel Cox), and Julianne (Jason Paulson), sister: Janet Priester, grandchildren: Jack Kline (Whitney), Lily Kline, and Samuel Kline, Joshua Angelchik and Henry Cox, special friends: Nick Trane, book club ladies, MN, WI, Montreal and AZ friends and neighbors too.

Memorials may be given to the Alzheimer's Association to support research to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Visitation will be from 10 until the 11 a.m. service on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at Downs Life Celebration Center, 1902 N. 34th Street, Superior, with Reverend Father Andrew Ricci officiating. A luncheon will immediately follow the service.