Mary Ellen Kuesel

Mary Ellen Casey Kuesel, affectionately known as "Meme," a cherished wife, mother, grandmother and friend, peacefully passed away May 22, 2025 in Sea Island, GA, after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Mary Ellen was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 17, 1940 to Margaret Savage Casey and Paul Hurley Casey. She grew up in Shorewood with her three brothers Patrick (Bonnie), Michael (Patsy), and Paul, who liked to call her their “prettiest sister.”

She attended St. Robert School, went to Holy Angels High School and pursued her passion for helping others at St. Mary’s School of Nursing, where she graduated as a Registered Nurse.

On October 3, 1964, she married her great love, John Thomas Kuesel, in a beautiful ceremony at St. Robert’s Church. Their joyful union brought two beloved daughters, Ann and Sarah. Tragically, John passed away just nine years after they were wed, and she never remarried. Despite this early heartache, Mary Ellen demonstrated remarkable strength and grace in raising the girls alone and ensuring her and John’s shared dreams for them were fulfilled. The steadfast love and support of her large family and many friends helped as well.

Even with all she was juggling, Mary Ellen always found time to better herself and her community. She continued her education at Cardinal Stritch, where she studied creative writing and later published Sparkly the Tooth Fairy. She opened Monograms & More and ran it for many years. She became a Certified Financial Planner, an Accredited Asset Management Specialist and real estate broker. She passed along her learnings in another book she wrote, Financially Fit, Six Steps to Financial Security.

Mary Ellen also volunteered at numerous Milwaukee area charitable and arts organizations. She was a founding member of Marquette University’s Women’s Council and an active member of Friends of the Haggerty Museum of Art, where she served as president from 1995-1998 and received the Pat Apple Award. She also held leadership roles in the Junior League of Milwaukee, the Women’s Club of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin’s Junior Achievement.

After living her first 75 years in Milwaukee, Mary Ellen moved to Sea Island, Georgia, where she long had a home and her family often came to visit. Nothing brought Mary Ellen more delight than spending time with her grandchildren at the beach. She loved collecting seashells and sand dollars with them in the morning, watching them swim at the Beach Blub in the afternoon, and cheering them on at Bingo in the evening. As they grew up, she taught her grandchildren the joys of a good breakfast Danish, an afternoon chocolate milkshake and a hot dog with a cold Miller Lite on the weekend. She was a voracious reader and consumer of news, a dog lover and unapologetic napper. She never missed Sunday Mass, always rooted for the Pack and the Bucks, and attended as many of her grandchildren’s sporting events as she could. When she wasn’t busy with all that, she was on her phone catching up friends and family via Facetime.

In addition to her husband, Mary Ellen was predeceased by her parents and her three brothers. She is survived by her daughters Ann Kuesel Morrell (Geoffrey) of Washington, DC and Sarah Kuesel Fair (Matthew) of Westport, CT; grandchildren Josie Fair Kowalik (Jack), Margaret Fair, Matthew Fair Jr., Elle Fair, Catherine Morrell, and Clare Morrell.

We thank Tammy, Janice and Angela for their compassionate care of Meme in her final months, as well as Vitality Living Frederica who provided Meme with a fun final year.

Please join us in celebrating Mary Ellen’s beautiful life on Thursday, June 19, 2025, at St. Robert Church, Shorewood, WI. Visitation begins at 12:00 p.m., followed by a Mass of Resurrection at 1:00 p.m.

Additional service details can be obtained through Bartlett & Schmidt Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the Marquette University https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/28093/donations/new?a=6398486 The Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University https://www.marquette.edu/haggerty-museum/support.php .