Mary Sasman

     Mary Elizabeth Sasman, 69, of Black River Falls, was welcomed into her heavenly home Friday, April 29, 2022, after struggling several months with ALS. She had passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield, where she had been a patient for the past two months.  

     Mary, daughter of William and Katherine (Horn) Petitt was born June 17, 1952, in Beloit. As a teenager she moved with her family to Alma Center, and it was here that she graduated from Alma Center High School. She went on to attend beauty school at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire. 

     Mary was united in marriage to Gerhart Sasman Aug. 15, 1970, at Grace Lutheran Church in Alma Center, with her father-in-law Merlin Sasman officiating. The couple moved to Beloit, where in addition to raising her two sons, she also worked in factory positions, mainly producing snack foods. 

     In 1992, the couple decided to move back to the Black River Falls area. While in Black River Falls, she had been employed in quality control with Roma Pizza and then for 10 years at Hardee’s where she started as a crew member and eventually a shift manager. Before finally retiring, she was working in the activity department of Country Terrace Assisted Living.

     Mary enjoyed the roll as wife, mother and homemaker. She especially loved to cook and was excellent at it. She looked forward to every aspect of family functions, from organizing, to preparing and then gathering together for family fellowship. 

     Her church membership at Faith Lutheran in Black River Falls was an important part of her life. She helped whereever possible and had also been a Sunday school teacher. She was an avid reader, reading a wide range of books and was very interested in the books published by WELSPublishing House.      

     Mary will be deeply missed by Gerhardt, her loving husband of 51 years; mother Katherine Petitt, a resident of the Augusta Health and Rehabilitation; sons Gabriel (Karen) Sasman of Escanaba, MI, and Joshua Sasman (Maria Cassberger) of Black River Falls; grandchildren Gannon, Cymbria, Kaelyn, Gabriel and Chloe; great-grandchildren Elizabeth and Soren; sisters Wanda (Jeff) Amo of Black River Falls, Joan (Mike) Esser of Alma Center, Julie (Brian) Majerus of Beloit; brothers Joseph Petitt of Arkansas and Mark (Rebecca) Petitt of Mosinee; sister and brothers-in-law, Marguerite (Dale) Thur of Dodgeville and Paul Sasman of Black River Falls.  

     Mary was preceded in death by her father, William; father- and mother-in-law Merlin and Doris; other in-laws, Grace Sasman, Evan and Connie Sasman and Wendy Sasman.  

     Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Black River Falls with Pastor Joel Neumann officiating. Friends may call one hour prior to services Wednesday at the church. Burial will be at a later date in Printz Creek Cemetery near Cataract. The family is assisted by Anderson Funeral Home in Augusta.