Mary Mardell Schnell

Mary Mardell Schnell died peacefully in her sleep on May 20, 2025. Born on July 31, 1940, Mardell exhibited many of the characteristics associated with the astrological sign of Leo: she was kind, fiercely loyal, generous, honest, romantic, kind and incredibly stubborn. She loved to cook and was constantly reading new recipes. She was very fond of ice cream. She had a passion for animals and collected a menagerie of dogs and cats over the years.

She was adopted by Walter and Marjorie (Van Houtan) Berck of Osceola, NE and grew up on the family farm. She discovered a passion for music and could play any woodwind or brass instrument as well as the accordion and piano.

During her high school years, she was involved in a variety of activities but especially enjoyed Job’s Daughters and served as the Honored Queen, which is the highest position within this Masonic organization.

After graduating from Osceola High, she went on to the University of Nebraska to study education. While attending UNL, she married Edwin Mangelsen on June 5, 1960. They had three children: Jim (1960), Debbie (1964) and Mary (1965). After graduating from UNL, she began teaching home economics. She and Ed had the opportunity to care for her nephew, Russell Sigler, and niece, Rosemary. With five kids in the house, she joked that she went to her teaching job at Scribner to rest up.

The family moved to Colorado and her marriage to Ed dissolved, so she substitutes taught full-time until she accepted a position as the Director of Food Service at the University of Northern Colorado. She was also the food director for Good Samaritan in Greeley and then at a mental health/Alzheimer's unit in Windsor, CO.

While working in Windsor she took classes at UNC in the area of Special Education. When she began teaching Home Ec in the early 60’s, many students with special needs were placed in her classes and she found working with them tremendously rewarding, so it just made sense to her.

During her last semester she did an internship with a “leather and chain gang” in Jefferson City. It was this experience that led her to Scottsbluff, NE where she helped to establish a day treatment program for behaviorally disordered youth at the Panhandle Mental Health Center. She later went on to work with this population solely at Gering Public Schools.

In 1995, she and her partner/later wife to be, Trudy, took a trip to the Black Hills where they found an enchanting Christmas store. Sounded like fun to them, so they opened a retail store featuring year-round Christmas decorations and over 40 lines of collectibles. Her final challenge found her at Safe Harbor as the executive director.

Mardell and Trudy had over 20 foster children placed with them, and as a result, Mardell became involved with the Foster Care Review Board for more than ten years. She also served on the Board of Directors for Cirrus House and the Board of Education at Lake Minatare. For years she was a judge for 4-H at the state fair.

Mardell and Trudy were formally married in December 2015 but had considered themselves life partners since Memorial Day 1989. They were one week shy of their 36th anniversary.

Mardell is survived by her wife, Trudy, and their son William; her sisters-in-law Katie (Keith) Carter of Alliance and Nicki Orser of Petaluma, CA; her children, Jim (Christie) Mangelsen of Taylors, SC, Debbie (Chris) Wild of Freising, Germany, and Mary Mangelsen of Longmont, CO; nephews Russell (Cathy) Sigler of Aurora, NE, Rick (Sharon) Sigler of Waco, TX; niece Rosemary (Jeff) Engle of San Antonio, TX; grandchildren Marissa Mangelsen (Richard Morrison) of Loveland, CO, Jamal Mangelsen of Longmont, CO, Hans Christian Wild of Freising, Germany, Matthew (Jing) Mangelsen of Falls Church, VA, Benjamin (Yanni) Mangelsen of Rockville, MD and Joseph Mangelsen of Bemidji, MN. She is also survived by three great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents Walter and Marjorie Berck, her former husband Edwin Mangelsen, and in-laws Rudolph and Ina Mangelsen.

She requested that no services be held. She wished to be cremated and have her ashes scattered by the creek on the farm where she lived. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.dugankramer.com for the family. Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.