Maryann L’Heureux (née Mueller), 80, of Warson Woods passed away peacefully, on April 9, 2014, at Manor Grove long-term care facility in Kirkwood, Missouri with Jacques, her husband and best friend of over 25 years, by her side.
Maryann was born in Chicago on May 8th, 1933, but spent much of her childhood on a Wisconsin farm, only to return to Chicago to attend Cardinal Stritch High School and complete her education. In 1953, she married Anthony Marsicek and raised their daughter and son, Lisa and Karl, in Mount Prospect, Illinois. She enjoyed being a mother, was active in "motor moms" and was a Brownie troop leader, as well. If someone needed props for a play, or an extra voice for a funny recording, Maryann was there to push it over the top. She later married her current husband, Jacques L’Heureux, in 1990; she and Jacques then lived in Newark, Delaware and Columbia, Maryland, eventually moving to Saint Louis in 2008, where they have since resided.
Maryann owned an antique shop in Prospect Heights, Illinois for several years, and throughout her life, continued to love the thrill of the hunt at local antique stores and estates sales. Going out in the field with her metal detector was another favorite hobby. She would often be seen prowling the forests and beaches with her metal detector looking for old coins, jewelry and other treasures; Karl would accompany her on many of these trips. Maryann's passion for collecting was also a big part of her children's upbringing. She started Karl collecting lead soldiers, and Lisa on salt cellars, and both children are avid collectors and tinkerers of antique machines to this day. Maryann’s main interest had always been Native American Art, sparked by the discovery of arrowheads on the family farm in Wisconsin. In the early 1990s, Maryann became a member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) as an Accredited Senior Appraiser. She then ran her own business, Maryann’s Appraisals, for over 20 years, where she appraised many private collections, brokering some to auction houses, including Sotheby’s in NY. She retired in 2004, at the same time as her husband.
Maryann also worked at the FMC Corporation at the Palwaukee Airport (Chicago Executive Airport), north of Chicago, for almost a decade, where she was a corporate jet dispatcher.
Maryann was passionate about life. She and her husband loved to travel together, all over the US, to Europe several times, on many cruises including Alaska and the Panama Canal, and on several ski trips to the Rockies and the White Mountains of New England. She was an avid reader, and highly skilled at completing NY Times crossword puzzles (always in pen). She also was a skilled fisherwoman (deep-sea and fly), and even taught one of her grandsons to gut a fish for a scouting badge. Known for her sassy personality, spunk, quick wit and intellect, Maryann also had artistic talent that stretched from drawing and painting murals in her home, and years later, in her grandchildren’s bedrooms, to her love of hats, unusual jewelry and her seemingly effortless personal style. She was famous in her circle for her crazy birthday party presents, finding funny antiques, re-working and re-purposing them into eyebrow-raising gifts for her unsuspecting friends. Maryann also liked to cook and is fondly remembered for her famous crab cakes, corn fritters and Hungarian goulash. Most importantly, Maryann was a deeply loving mother, wife, and friend who will be dearly missed.
Beloved wife of Jacques L’Heureux; dear mother of Lisa and Karl (Michelle) Marsicek, dear step-mother of Elizabeth (Andy) Baer, Ingrid (Kelley) McClure and Valerie (Mike) Jacobson; dear sister of the late Sofia (Joseph) Wohlhart, the late Elizabeth (Anthony) Kaiser, the late Frank Mueller and the late Anthony (Mildred) Mueller; cherished Nana to Maxwell, Elise and Erik Marsicek, Spencer and Madison Baer, Bryan and Jacob Hohlfelder, Bryanna, Breandan and Aidan McClure, Bradley and Nicholas Merrion, Nicole and Brittany Jacobson and the late Arianna Marsicek; dear great-grandmother of Aletta Sexton-Hohlfelder; dear aunt, cousin and treasured friend to many. Maryann, we love you a bushel and a peck, with a hug around the neck!
A memorial gathering to celebrate Maryann’s life will be held on Saturday, May 3rd 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Gerber Chapel Funeral Home, 23 W. Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves, MO 63119 (314/968-2000). Visitation will be 10am-12pm, with Service and Personal Eulogies from 12-1 pm, where guests are invited and encouraged to share their stories and favorite memories of Maryann. A Luncheon Celebration will follow. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.
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