—  Mary Bridget Weinandt, age 85, died at her home on Diamond Lake, Atwater, MN, on Sunday, December 2, 2012, surrounded by her loving family. She passed away in her own bed, with the sun shining on her and the lake outside.  It was her last wish.A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 6, 2012, at All Saints

Catholic Church in Madison Lake.  Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday at the church with a 7 p.m. Prayer Service.  Visitation continues one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.  Burial will be in Calvary All Saints Catholic Cemetery immediately after the service. There will be a luncheon served in the church basement.  Memorials are preferred to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Mankato Mortuary handled the arrangements.

  Mary Bridget was born in Heron Lake on October 14, 1927, to Albert and Julia (Silver) Berreau.  Her father, Albert, passed away when Mary was 4 years old.  Her mother married Joseph Wey in Brewster when Mary was 8.  Joe passed away when Mary was 8.  Mary was an only child.  Mary was raised by her mother, her grandmother, Bridget Silver, and many aunts and uncles. She graduated from Brewster High School in 1945.  She continued her education at the Mankato School of Beauty in 1946.

  On January 4, 1949, she was united in marriage to Eugene Weinandt in Brewster. They spent their first years in Worthington and were blessed with their children, Albert, Carl and Mary.  They moved to Mankato, and were blessed with two more sons, Jay and Joe. They bought their next home in Madison Lake, where they were blessed with Julie, Ann and Paul.  One of the main reasons they moved to Madison Lake was because their children could be enrolled in the All Saints Catholic School.

  After they had enjoyed retirement and some travel the couple bought a house on Diamond Lake, Atwater.  This house was filled many, many weekends with family and friends.  After her husband passed in 1998, she continued to enjoy her summers at the lake, and winters at her home in Madison Lake. Then she moved to the lake permanently.  She continued to enjoy all her family celebrating life with her on the lake.  There was no place she would rather be.

  Mary's main purpose in life was to be a good wife, and a good Mom. She was truly the Mother and the matriarch of her family.  Until his dying day her husband called her "the Princess".  She taught her children to always tell the truth, to love God and the church, to be civic minded, and to love our country.  And second only to God -- that family is more important than anything else.

  Mary was active in her church, serving on the All Saints Ladies Circle every year that she lived in Madison Lake. She sang in the church choir for many years.  Mary and her husband were frequent chaperones for teen dances sponsored by the Madison Lake Teen Club.  She cheered at every Madison Lake Little League Game, and every Madison Lake Girls Softball Team game that her children were involved in.  She served on the Madison Lake City Council for several years.  She was the one that thought of the town's slogan that is still used today -- "Hooked on Madison Lake".  She was the Girl Scout Leader for all the years that her daughters, Julie and Ann were enrolled.  Mary was involved with the Mankato Boxing Club where she cheered for her son, Paul.

  Mary is survived by her children, Albert and his wife, Norein of Madison Lake, Carl and his wife, Barb of Cleveland, Mary and her husband, Jeff Warszynski of Atwater, Jay of St. Peter, Joe and his wife, Connie of Madison Lake, Julie and her husband, Mark Malenke of Brewster, Ann and her husband, Kent Reeves of Mankato, Paul and his wife, Desiree of Atwater; as well as 29 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and one grandchild, Joel Warszynski.