Obituary for Mary Lou Gdowski FULLERTON–Mary Lou Gdowski, 87, of Fullerton, died peacefully on Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 at Bryan Medical Center East in Lincoln. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 31, 2018, at Fullerton Community Church in Fullerton with Reverend Janice Farrell officiating. Burial will follow at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Fullerton.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, March 30th at the church. Palmer-Santin Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Mary Lou was born February 24, 1931 in Superior, NE to Louis and Clara (Shuck) Heal.
She moved from Ravenna to Fullerton while in grade school and her parents ran the Royal Theatre. Mary Lou graduated from Fullerton High School in 1949 and attended Hastings College for a year, returning to Fullerton to care for her parents who had become ill and soon passed away. Mary Lou ran the theatre for a period upon the death of her parents and also taught at Fullerton Elementary as a kindergarten teacher.
On May 28th, 1953, Mary Lou married Edmund Gdowski at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Fullerton. To this union, three daughters and a son were born. Mary Lou taught music and elementary education at Belgrade Public Schools for several years and gave piano, guitar, and accordion lessons while helping Eddie develop the Eddie Gdowski Insurance Agency.
They built the business from 1965 to 1988 with Farmers Mutual Insurance as their primary company. Mary Lou stopped teaching and joined Eddie in the business full-time, until selling the business in 1988. It now operates as First National Insurance Agency.
Mary Lou was a very active member of the Fullerton community throughout her life. Mary Lou was a member and officer of the American Legion Auxiliary, the VFW, Fullerton Alumni Association, Nance County Historical Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, and a member of the Fullerton School Board for several terms. Mary Lou was a member of several community churches including St. Peter’s Catholic Church, United Methodist Church, and First Presbyterian Church.
She was active in all the church choirs. She was an accomplished pianist, organist, and vocalist, and played for many weddings and funerals in the community. She joked that she should’ve made a recording for her own funeral.
Mary Lou was very proud of the family, and with Eddie, attended as many programs and athletic events as possible for children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, traveling across the state and country to do so. Mary Lou loved music and very much enjoyed playing her piano and organ. She loved family genealogy, using the internet to connect with family members, and watching Seinfeld (her favorite sitcom).
In the fall of 2016, Mary Lou moved to Brentwood Independent Living Community in Lincoln, where she resided until her death. Mary Lou is survived by three daughters and a son, Nancy (Mike) Folden of Lincoln, Patty (Tom) Reilly of Valley, Kathy Gdowski of Lincoln, and Tom (Becky) Gdowski of Grand Island; six grandchildren, Chris (Selena) Schuster, Brian (Chelsea) Schuster, Erin (Dan) Koborg, Kelsey Reilly, Jacob (Katy) Gdowski, and Andy Gdowski; eight great-grandchildren; one sister, Joy (Heal) Atkins of Campbell, CA; brothers-in-law, Ben (Mary) Gdowski of York, and Adam Gdowski of Missouri Valley; sister-in-law, Angie Hansen of Fullerton; and many nieces and nephews. Mary Lou was preceded in death by her husband, Eddie; her parents; sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Volcott Bake; nephew, Frank Bank; brother and sisters-in-law, Lawrence and Martha Gdowski, Jackie (Adam) Gdowski, and Lloyd (Angie) Hansen.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Mary Lou Gdowski please visit our Sympathy Store. Cemetery Details St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery Fullerton, NE, 68638 , Previous Events Visitation , MAR 30. 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Fullerton Community Church 305 Germand Street Fullerton, NE, US, 68638 Service , MAR 31.
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