Mary Ann Pyell

Funeral Services for Mary Ann Pyell will be held on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Stamford, Nebraska with Reverend Thalia Woodworth officiating. Interment will be held in the Stamford Cemetery following the services.

Mary Ann (Smith) Pyell, 89 years of age, of Lincoln, Nebraska (formerly of Stamford), passed away on Friday, August 18, 2017, at Gateway Vista in Lincoln. She was born September 16, 1927, on a farm near Nemaha, Nebraska, the fifth of nine children born to Ransom Willis and Viola Lena (Gouldie) Smith. At an early age the family moved to a farm south of Naponee, Nebraska, where Mary Ann attended primary school, and two years of high school. The family then moved to Oxford, Nebraska, where Mary Ann completed her final two years of high school, graduating with the class of 1945. Mary Ann was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at the St. John's Lutheran Church on October 8, 1944.

On May 27, 1945, she was united in marriage to Robert Leo Pyell by Pastor Carl Olson at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Stamford. The couple were blessed with two children: Timothy Lee and Susan Elizabeth. The couple made their home on Robert's grandparent's farm southeast of Stamford, where Mary Ann was an integral part of the farming operation. Mary Ann loved her family, grandchildren, friends, and neighbors. Mary Ann and Robert loved to serve their community, and church in any way possible. She was a long-time member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday School, Weekday Church School, and Bible School for over thirty-five years. She took great interest, and pride in seeing her many students grow to become established adults in the community, and beyond. She was a member of the Women of the Church, where she held many offices. She also enjoyed many friendship bonds that were formed throughout the years as a charter member of the Stamford Neighborly Neighbor's Extension Club.

Robert passed away on August 11, 2004. After Robert's passing, Mary Ann chose to continue living on the farm that she and Robert called home for so many years, and where she enjoyed the company of many friends and neighbors. In 2010, Mary Ann moved to Lincoln to be near family. In her spare time, Mary Ann enjoyed spending time with family and friends, sewing, embroidery and family genealogy.

Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by an infant son, Gary; four brothers: DeVon, Wallace, Dean, and Boyd Smith; four sisters: Nora Kathryn Smith, Maxine Schmidt and her husband, Clarence, Fern Schegg and her husband, Martin, and Gail Beck; and brother-in-law, Wayne Quincy.

Mary Ann leaves to celebrate her life, her two children: Tim Pyell and his wife, Kathryn of Overland Park, Kansas, and Susi Johnson and her husband, Stewart of Lincoln; five grandchildren: Rachel Pyell and her husband, Mike Gordon of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Melissa Pyell of Laguna Beach, California, Nels Johnson and his wife, Bree of Taos, New Mexico, and Soren and Berit Johnson of Lincoln; four great-grandchildren: Carsten and Mila Gordon, and Kaj and Signe Johnson; sisters-in-law: Mary Smith of Lynchburg, Virginia, Joyce Smith of Elkhorn, Nebraska, and Arlene Smith of Blue Springs, Nebraska; brother-in-law, Don Beck of La Vista, Nebraska; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 22, 2017 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home in Alma, Nebraska.

A memorial has been established in Mary Ann's honor, and kindly suggested to the Trinity Lutheran Church in Stamford.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home in Alma is in charge of arrangements.