Mary Margaret Scherer

  General Notes:

 
I never really got to know her very well as I was too intrigued with all that went on at Aunt Lane's. The story is told of the time she was cleaning the basement and was wearing hip boots. She fell and broke her leg and was in the basement until Barb came home from work. Barb got her upstairs and washed the leg. Naturally the doctor wanted to see the other leg to compare for swelling. Despite the pain she kidded Barb for not having her all cleaned up. When the ambulance came, she wouldn't leave the house without her hat - and Barb told how she fit the hat over the lump on her mother's head and at last she gave in and went to get the leg set.
 
She had a hard life. She married Dennis Keefe and he was one for tilting the bottle. He went into politics and the more he campaigned, the more he drank. Finally, his brother came from Long Island, N. Y. and said 'Maggie, I'll take him back with me and I'll make him - or break him.' Only Maynard, his son, ever saw him alive again. His brother shipped the body back for burial so Barb had that expense too. He worked as a gardener on an estate in Long Island and Maynard would visit him when he got out that way.

Once he sent a package to Aunt Meg. She opened it and it was the rattiest looking fur scarf you ever saw. She told Barb, 'I always knew your father was good at shooting the bull, but I never knew he'd send it to me.' ... Aunt Mag was in a hospital, totally unable to move, afflicted with arthritis from long before World War II until her death in 1956. She was in Milwaukee at Sacred Heart until Maynard came back from overseas, at which time she was transferred to St Elizabeth's in Oshkosh. Barb went on a bus every week-end to see her. She remained mentally alert thru her 88 years. ^{[Betty Jaeger Gilbertson]}

 
 
Barbara and Maynard's mother was in a nursing home for 9 years. When Maynard was in the army he got a salary and since his mother was a dependent his salary kept her in the nursing home. When Maynard left the army and returned to the college the support money ended and Barbara had to take her out of the facility and keep her at home with her. ^{[Kathryn Scherer Schuck] 7 8 9}

  Noted events in her life were:

• Census: 1870 US, 02 Jul 1870, Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁰
| 78 | 76 | Sherer, Henry | 47 | M | W | Brick Mason | 800 | 100 | Prussia | / | / | | | | / | / | | / |
| | | Sherer, Mary | 37 | F | W | Keeping House | | | Prussia | / | / | | | | / | / | | |
| | | Sherer, Mathew | 17 | M | W | Laborer | | | Wis | / | / | | | | / | / | | |
| | | Sherer, John | 14 | M | W | At Home | | | Wis | / | / | | | / | / | / | | |
| | | Sherer, Antone | 12 | M | W | At Home | | | Wis | / | / | | | / | / | / | | |
| | | Sherer, Jacob | 9 | M | W | At Home | | | Wis | / | / | | | / | | | | |
| | | Sherer, Magdelana | 5 | F | W | At Home | | | Wis | / | / | | | | | | | |
| | | Sherer, Margaret | 2 | F | W | At Home | | | Wis | / | / | | | | | | | |

• Census: 1880 US, 29 Jun 1880, Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin, USA. ¹¹ 1880; Census Place: Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin; Roll: T9_1440; Family History Film: 1255440; Page: 344.4000; South Ward; Ln 39-43; 29 June 1880; Enumeration District: 109; R. A. Jones, Enumerator

| | | Scherer, Henry | W | M | 52 | | | M | Brick Mason | ... | Germany | Germany | Germany |
| | | Scherer, Mary | W | F | 47 | Wife | | M | Keeps House | ... | Germany | Germany | Germany |
| | | Scherer, Lena | W | F | 15 | Daughter | S | | Attends School | ... | Wisconsin | Germany | Germany |
| | | Scherer, Maggie | W | F | 13 | Daughter | S | | Attends School | ... | Wisconsin | Germany | Germany |
| | | Scherer, Etta | W | F | 9 | Daughter | S | | Attends School | ... | Wisconsin | Germany | Germany |

• Residence: the Scherer Homestead, 210 Scherer Avenue, Abt 30 May 1868-1890, Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin, USA. ¹²

• Cemetery: St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery, 30 Aug 1956, Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin, USA. ⁴  
     KEEFE
   MARY M
1868 † 1958

• Obituary: Marinette Eagle Star, 29 Aug 1956, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹³
Mrs. Keefe of Oconto Is Dead
Son To Officiate At Final Service

OCONTO - Mrs. Mary Margaret Keefe, 88, Oconto resident who has made her home at St. Mary's Home in Oshkosh for nine and a half years, died there Tuesday. Her home in Oconto was located at 513 Washington St.

She was the former Mary Scherer, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Scherer, pioneer residents of Oconto. Mrs. Keefe was born here May 30, 1868. Her husband, Dennis Keefe, died in 1944.

Mrs. Keefe was a member of the Altar-Rosary of St. Joseph's church.

She was the mother of the Rev. Anselm M Keefe, a St. Norbert College administrator, who will officiate at a solemn requiem high mass in St Joseph's church at 10·30 a m Thursday.

Besides Father Keefe, she is survived by a daughter, Miss Barbara Keefe of Oconto.

The body is at Sheffield funeral home where friends may call from this evening until time for services. A rosary service will be held by the parish and Altar Rosary society at 7 :15 tonight in the mortuary.

Mary married Dennis Thomas Keefe on 24 Nov 1892 in Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin, USA.¹ (Dennis Thomas Keefe was born on 01 Aug 1865 in Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin, USA,^{4 14} died on 04 Dec 1944 in Hoboken, Hudson, New Jersey, USA ⁴ and was buried on 09 Dec 1944 in Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin, USA ^{4 15}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage, 24 Nov 1892, Oconto, Oconto, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁶