Mary Catherine Stallbaumer, 82, of Seneca, Kansas, died Sunday, April 6, 2003, at the Onaga Hospital in Onaga. She was visiting her daughter, Jean Ann Boeckman, in Lillis when she became ill and was taken to the hospital.

She was born May 9, 1920, on a farm west of St. Benedict, Kansas, the daughter of Henry G. and Ida Gellhaus Hulsing. She grew up there, attended St. Mary’s School in St. Benedict, and helped on the family farm. Before her marriage she was employed as a clerk at Sam Tate’s grocery store in Seneca.

On April 15, 1950, she married Eugene E. Stallbaumer at St. Mary’s Church in St. Benedict. They lived and farmed in the St. Benedict community until 1979 when they moved to Seneca. Her husband Eugene preceded her in death on January 15, 1981. Mary worked at Country View Estates care home in the laundry for several years. She also volunteered on a regular basis at the Sts. Peter & Paul Mission Center in Seneca.

She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church and Sts. Ann’s Altar Society at the church in Seneca. She was a former member of St. Mary’s Church and St. Ann’s Altar Society at the church in St. Benedict.

Survivors are two sons, Stephen and Max Stallbaumer, both of Seneca; two daughters, Jean Ann Boeckman of Frankfort and Rose Mary Henry of Hoyt; four brothers, Victor “Bud” and Bernard Hulsing, both of Seneca, Henry Hulsing of Topeka, and Joseph Hulsing of Omaha, Nebraska; five sisters, Henrietta Holthaus and Marceline “Marcy” Meyer, both of Axtell, Florence Kohake and Mildred Kohake, both of Goff, and Ida Rose Wichman of Kelly; 15 grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Alan Stallbaumer on September 17, 1992; two brothers, Celestine “Sally” Hulsing and Emil Hulsing; and a sister, Elsa McGuire.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 AM Tuesday, April 8, at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Monday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorial contributions may be given for St. Mary’s Church, or the Sts. Peter & Paul Building Fund, or the Sts. Peter & Paul Mission Center, and sent in care of the family.