In Loving Memory of Mary Schatzer
Mary Louise (Veihmeyer) Schatzer passed away on February 9, 2011. She was 88, and as full of life at this age as she has always been. Her body, however, was getting frail, and when she had a fall on Feb 6, she broke her leg. From this injury she did not recover. She is now with her Lord and Savior in heaven. She was born May 24, 1922, in Washington, D.C., the eldest of three children. Her brother Fred Veihmeyer and sister Jean Young are still living in Maryland. In December 1950 Mary married Dave Schatzer, and they lived together for 45 years until Dave passed away in 1995. She raised 3 children, David Schatzer (Jr.), Ellen Burns and Jim Schatzer. David and his wife Morlene and Jim and his wife Sherry still live in the Seattle area. Ellen passed away in 2007 after battling cancer for many years. Her widower Rich Burns lives in the Seattle area. Mary is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 12 great- grandchildren.
Mary was a wonderful woman of many talents and activities. She worked as a legal secretary, she sang and played piano and organ at various churches. She was always from DC, no matter how long she’d lived in Renton; she liked mysteries but she was always so certain about her opinions; she liked to do solitary things like reading and knitting, mostly while doing social things and talking to people. She wasn’t from a world where people just did whatever they wanted, but she did so many different things. She’d been so many places, and she’d tell you about them. She had known so many different people, and she’d tell you about them. She was smart, and she’d tell you that too. Music filled her life. She sang in church choirs for more than 65 years. She sang solos and duets, in small groups and full choirs. In her youth she sang at the White House, in Constitution Hall and, in her 80s, at Carnegie Hall.
She was a second Mom and Gramma to many, many people. She was open and friendly with all she met, and always had kind and welcoming words for those around her. She accepted people as they were, and liked them for it. She made sweaters and scarves, Christmas stockings and baby booties to give away to her friends and family. She made cross stitch art and gave
those away too. She taught many young people how to knit and crochet.
She loved to read and was always in the middle of at least one book. As she said, she enjoyed a “nice, light murder mystery.” She loved baseball, and knew how the game should be played. She grew up rooting for the Washington Senators and became a fan of the Seattle Mariners. She loved to travel and visit new places. Though she wasn’t one to drive a car, she loved to pack up the car and take a ride to visit some place new.
Mary, we will miss you. And we look forward to meeting again in heaven.