Mary Joyce Loesel

Mary Joyce Loesel was born September 21, 1939 in Brainerd, MN to Fritz and Evelyn (nee Fink) Gruenhagen. She died June 18, 2023 at her home in Arlington Heights.

Mary was born and raised in Brainerd, MN. After high school graduation in 1957, she attended Concordia College St. Paul for two years before transferring to Concordia College River Forest to complete her Bachelor’s degree in Education.

After her college graduation, she taught primary school in Rolla, MO for two years, then was called to St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Skokie, IL in 1963. It was there that she met the love of her life, Al, and they were married in June of 1964. She continued teaching primary grades at St. Paul until before her daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom until Amy started school full time, at which point she went to work as a teacher’s aide at St. Peter Arlington Heights. She later worked as a school and church administrator at St. Peter, until she started working for Dennis Nelson & Co. as a secretary. She continued working there until her retirement.

After retiring from full-time work, she worked part time several years for Dr. David Fielder. She was also very involved at St. Peter. She sang in the choir for decades, helped teach confirmation classes, Vacation Bible School, and Sunday School, volunteered at PADS, served in God’s Special Friends and as a Greeter, was a member of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, and attended Women’s Bible Study.

Mary enjoyed gardening, reading, working jigsaw, crossword, and sudoku puzzles, and traveling. She loved golfing and played in a women’s league. She and Al often went on golf weekends with their friends. She enjoyed spending time with her family and spent extended periods of time during the summers with Amy up at her mom’s and sister’s houses up on Gull Lake. She was Al’s co-pilot for the many road trips they took through the lower 48 states and Canada, and they enjoyed many trips with church groups to Germany for the Passion Play, through the Panama Canal, down the Danube River, around the Mediterranean Sea, and up north in the Baltic Sea.

Mary is survived by her daughter Amy Scott; her grandson Nicholas Scott and many nieces and nephews.

Mary is preceded in death by her husband Alvin Loesel; her sister Lois (late Rodney) Frazer and by her parents.

Visitation is Thursday, June 22, 2023 at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 111 W. Olive St., Arlington Heights, IL from 9:30 AM with a coffee fellowship until the time of service at 11:00 AM. Interment will be at St. Peter Lutheran Church Cemetery immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to St. Peter Lutheran Church or Charity of your choice.

Funeral Information and condolences can be given at www.GlueckertFH.com or (847) 253-0168.