Mary Louise (Sieberg) Braam, age 81, of North Mankato, passed away from complication due to Covid-19 on Monday, April 25th, 2022 at MCHS Mankato. Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, May 4th at 11am at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in North Mankato. Father Paul van de Crommert and Deacon Ryan Braam will officiate. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 3rd from 4-7pm at Woodland Hills Funeral Home, 1605 Woodland Ave, Mankato, and one hour prior to the Mass on Wednesday at Holy Rosary. ...

Mary Louise (Sieberg) Braam, age 81, of North Mankato, passed away from complication due to Covid-19 on Monday, April 25th, 2022 at MCHS Mankato. Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, May 4th at 11am at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in North Mankato. Father Paul van de Crommert and Deacon Ryan Braam will officiate. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 3rd from 4-7pm at Woodland Hills Funeral Home, 1605 Woodland Ave, Mankato, and one hour prior to the Mass on Wednesday at Holy Rosary.  A prayer service and rosary will begin at 6:30pm on Tuesday.

      Mary was born October 12th, 1940 to Joseph and Frances (Van Buren) Sieberg in Mankato, MN. She grew up in rural Madison Lake and graduated from Mankato High School in 1958. She married Merle Braam on June 20th, 1959 and moved to Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, SD, where they welcomed their first two children. After Merle left the Air Force, they moved back to North Mankato and welcomed three more children to the family. Once her children were in school, Mary first worked at Lindsay Sash and then Midwest Electric, where she worked for more than 25 years. After she retired, Mary kept very busy with many activities. She played softball with the first “Geriatric” woman’s softball league, and she bowled with many different teams over the years. She and Merle loved biking and camping and traveled throughout the country. She loved her occasional trips to the casino and would usually come out ahead playing those penny slots. Mary and Merle moved to Oak Terrace in 2014, and she truly had a second family, and was very involved in many activities there. Mary was a fiercely independent woman, ahead of her time, and lived life on her terms. She was a loyal and caring mother, wife and friend.

      Mary is survived by her children, Julie (Chris) Myrick of Laurel, MS; Dan (Nancy) Braam of New Ulm, MN; Tim (Katie) Braam of Cary, NC; Ric (Debbie) Braam of Farmington, CT; and Cindy Gawrych of North Mankato; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; siblings Jean (Ed) Zahler, Ron Sieberg, Lowell (Arlene Lynaugh) Sieberg, and Audrey (Fred) Cain.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Merle Braam, brothers Bill Sieberg, Frank Sieberg, Robert “Skipper” Sieberg, sister Roseann Reinhart, and infant son Robert Braam.

      The family would like to thank the staff at MCHS Mankato for their compassionate care and kindness in our mother’s final hours.