Mary Birsen

Mary Patricia Birsen, 94, of Sylvania, OH passed away Saturday, August 26, 2023 at The Lakes of Sylvania. Mary was born in Toledo, OH on January 6, 1929 to parents Frank and Monique (Gengler) Brunner. She graduated from St. Ursula Academy in 1947 and enrolled in Mercy School of Nursing where she graduated as Registered Nurse in 1950.

She married her high school sweetheart John W. Schausten in 1951 and worked as a R.N in Toledo until they moved Negaunee, MI where they raised six children and John worked as engineer in iron ore mining industry. Mary experienced profound loss when her husband and three oldest children died in a boating accident in 1962. She returned to Toledo in 1964 with her three children where she met Paul Birsen and they were married in 1965. Mary was a homemaker for her husband and 4 children and returned to the Toledo Clinic in 1975 working as an R.N. She also worked at Rosary Hall for the Franciscan Nuns in 1982 before returning to The Toledo Clinic where she retired in 1994.

During her retirement years she devoted herself to family to provide love and support to her children and grandchildren sharing with them her great imagination for stories and fun activities. She loved baking anytime but in particular for holidays and will be remembered for her homemade pies and “toasts to the turkey”. She loved to host parties at her home including strawberry festivals and Margarita Mondays. She also travelled extensively including trips to Egypt with her sister Sue and Alaska with her daughter Monica and numerous trips to Disneyland with her grandchildren.

Mary is survived by her sons, Thomas (Kim) Birsen, Donald (Mary) Birsen; daughters, Monica Birsen and Patricia (Gary) Gottenbusch; brother, John (Mary Ellen) Brunner; eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, John Schausten; sons, Christopher, Timothy and David in 1962; husband Paul Birsen in 1993; brothers, David Brunner, Donald Brunner and sister, Suzanne Schroeder.

Friends may call at Walker Funeral Home 5155 W. Sylvania Avenue, Toledo on Thursday, August 31st from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm. The Funeral Mass will be conducted at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 5411 Main St., Sylvania, Friday September 1st at 10:00 AM. Following that, family and friends are invited to gather for a luncheon at the Family Center across Main St. from the Church. Mary will be laid to rest beside her husband Paul at Resurrection Cemetery at a later date. The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to the staff at Lakes of Sylvania for the constant love and care to Mary over the last several years. Donations in Mary’s Memory can be made to The Humane Society of Toledo.