Mary Anita Liesinger passed away on April 8, 2022, in her home at Sioux Falls. Her loving husband Dave and family members, who had been caring for her as she battled cancer, were with her.
A funeral service is planned for Monday, April 25, 2022, at Calvary Chapel Church, seven miles south of Colome, SD. The service will be at 11 a.m. with a lunch following at the church. After the lunch, burial will be in the Colome Cemetery.
Mary Anita (Weidner) Liesinger was born to Gus & Orene Weidner at home on their farm & ranch south of Colome, SD, on May 29, 1952. She grew up there as the youngest of seven children. She attended eight grades of school at the one-room rural Stewart School which was a mile west of her home.
She was a member of Calvary Chapel Church a mile and a half northeast of their farm, and she was baptized to publicly show her Christian faith to the world about her confession of Jesus Christ as her Savior.
In 1980 Mary moved to Sioux Falls to attend Sioux Vocational School. There at the school she met the love of her life, David Liesinger, and they were married Nov. 26, 1982.
Mary worked for Holiday Inn as a housekeeper for almost 30 years. She then worked part time at Arby’s for 6 or 7 years until she started her courageous battle with cancer.
In Sioux Falls, Mary and Dave attended Central Baptist Church. She loved her Lord most of all and enjoyed attending church in person as long as she was able. While there she enjoyed the time of fellowship and activities with her adult Sunday School class. Another of her loves’ of a different type was football. She closely followed the Pittsburgh Steelers along with husband Dave on the national level, as well as regularly attending games for the Storm here in Sioux Falls and the surrounding area.
Mary was known for her love of knick-knacks and decorations of all kinds. She loved to decorate her house and wear jewelry for every little holiday on the calendar, but especially loved Christmas with buying and wrapping lots of little gifts. Her other interests included wearing and making bead jewelry.
Mary also had a special love for cats of all sizes and colors. She even had a pet deer, Bambi, when she was young that she raised with a bottle until it was fully grown. She had a love for dolphins and decorated with them whenever possible.
Mary was very friendly, made friends easily, was kind to others, and always worried about being a helper and a good hostess—especially offering to pass things at the table to anyone who was in need.
We know she is at rest in her Savior’s arms to enjoy eternity in heaven as she is welcomed home also by her Mom, Dad and brother Daniel. We know she’ll still have her big smile that she wore right to the very end.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents and brother Daniel.
She is survived by her husband, David
Liesinger of Sioux Falls, SD; stepmother, Marie Weidner of Tyndall, SD; brothers: Lee (Judell) Weidner of Colome, SD, Fred (Burdena) Weidner of Winner, SD; sisters: Judi Vobr of Colome, SD, Janice
(Dennis) Grenoble of Gregory, SD, Janell (Roger) Heath of Colome, SD; and many nieces and nephews.