Rosemary (Sissy) Preuss

(nee Pusczek) Born Nov. 7, 1929, died peacefully Jan. 15, 2017 with the holy sacraments, surrounded by her devoted family. Dear wife of the late Paul Preuss and loving mother to her children Deborah Barylski, Michael Barylski, and Pam (Mark) Lutzenberger. She also leaves grandsons Daniel Barylski (Angela) and Mark Barylski (Tisha/Jennifer), and four great-grandkids Mason, Marshall, Marissa and Grace Barylski all from the St Louis area. A devoted daughter to her late parents Frank and Irene Pusczek and in-laws Al & Helen Preuss, loving sister to Frankie (Dorothy, Mary), Eddie (Mary), Butch (Phyllis, Elaine), Pete (Jean, Dorothy), Ray (Joanne, Shirley) and Dave (Dot) Pusczek. On the Preuss side; Don (Betty), Gene, Sylvia (Martin, Eldon “Pudge”), Norman (Kathy), Allen (Linda, Sue Ann), Sharon (Bob, Jim), Roger (Jane), Tom (Barb, Kathy) and Gary(Christine, Nancy, Pam); loving sister-in-law to many, a dear aunt, great aunt, cousin, friend and living angel to many.

Rosemary married her Paul on February 13, 1971 and they celebrated 44 anniversaries in their time together. They had a happy and fulfilling life shared with family and their many friends. They were great together and any time spent with them was filled with fun, laughter, good times and the making of some great memories to look back on especially now that they’re both gone now.

Rosemary worked for many years at the Florissant Dairy. She took care of her customers like they were friends of hers, dispensing hugs and helping anyone who needed it. Over time, many customers did turn into friends and a mutual admiration society started. Everywhere mom went she made friends of strangers.

Mom & Dad found their home away from home out at the river. They started out in a trailer there and loved the way they could unplug from their jobs, their stress and truly relax. Their next door neighbor’s Jim & Pat Eads became great friends and when their daughter’s beagle had puppies she brought them out to the river. Paul could not resist the pull of having a beagle, so they adopted their beloved Mutley. Rosemary trained Mutley and taught him some manners (which went out the window when he was at the river), but they lived a happy life together. They eventually increased their living space by buying and renovating “The Estate” their little house directly on the river so that they could invite more overnight guests to come and stay. There was always a lot of fun and relaxation had by all who got to experience their little slice of heaven at the river.

Rosemary put her love of taking care of people to good use. She spent nearly twenty years volunteering; the first few years were spent at a few different places until she settled in at St. Sophia’s Nursing home and Rehab facility. She thoroughly dedicated herself to helping in the care and nurturing of every one of the residents: lending a helping hand wherever it was needed, using her considerable baking talents to bake dozens of cookies, cupcakes, cakes for their fundraisers, and liberally giving out those hugs, kisses and smiles she was famous for. When her sister-in-law, Mary, became a resident at the home because of Alzheimer’s, she spent extra time there every week, helping her brother, Frank, take care of his wife. Her dedication to those whom she felt needed her was a motivation she just couldn’t ignore. She volunteered there for seventeen years, till her own health issues made it necessary for her to leave. She often mentioned that it was almost unbearable not seeing her residents, their families and the close friends she had made there. She also spent a lot of time in Indiana with Paul visiting Al & Helen Preuss and in later years with and without Paul to help take care of Helen (who also suffered from Alzheimer’s) when Sylvia and Pudge Helen’s daughter & son-in-law needed some time away.

The most important thing to our mom was family—that they stay close and in touch—so their home was the center of many Pusczek and Preuss activities. She would clean and bake for weeks getting ready for the crowds, and for the overnight company who stayed with them for a few days. She made all the meals ahead of time, always making more than needed, because her motto was the more the merrier. People were always welcomed whether she knew they were coming or not. She’d just open her handy freezer and heat up more food. Many of the family were amazed at the amount of meals, pies, cakes and cookies inside it and the empty shelves left after the big get-together was over. She made sure everyone had enough of everything and felt well loved. She did chili dinners for the mailmen, birthdays, anniversaries and special dinner parties for friends and family. She made Thanksgiving dinners for the whole family, along with Christmas and New Year’s celebrations for many years. Her stamina and determination when getting ready for a family event was a beautiful thing to behold. I am still in awe of her and all the love she poured into every single thing she ever made for any body and I think we all felt it. She had a good life filled with so much love, a commitment to her family and friends, faith in God and the belief she would see all those she loved again when her time here was over. We know that one heck of a party started on the night of January 15^th and it hasn’t stopped because when an angel on earth passes, an amazing celebration commences when all her loved ones come to escort her home.

There will be no funeral service as Rose has chosen to donate her body to the SLU School of Medicine because she and dad were still thinking of helping others even after they were gone. We will be celebrating Rosemary with a memorial mass on May 6, 2017 at St. Ferdinand’s Church, 1765 Charbonier Road, Florissant, MO 63031 at 10:00 a.m.; church phone number is (314) 837-3165. Afterwards, we will have a catered lunch at Mattingly’s Sports Bar and Grill, 8108 North Lindbergh Blvd., Florissant, MO 63031 from 11:00-5:00 p.m.; Mattingly’s phone number is (314) 831-9181 (this is the same place we had Paul’s lunch.)

We are asking that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her name to the Alzheimer’s charity of your choice.

About our mom:

Our mom Rosemary was kind to everyone she met even when they didn’t want her kindness. I asked her why, and she said, “Because those are the ones who need the kindness the most, the ones who don’t want it” and that lesson has stuck with me through the years. She helped family, friends and acquaintances alike when they or someone they loved was in need. Whenever she found out about a need, she would go garaging or buy things herself and without a word, the items needed would find their way into the right hands with nothing expected in return but a hug and a smile.

Many have said she gave the best hugs including my father-in-law Tom Lutzenberger and he, among many others there would hunt her down at Norm’s golf tournament every year till he got his hug. At the home she resided in these last few years, people would come from all over the building just to get a hug from her when they were having a bad day and she would open her arms and smile and with no hesitation give them a really good hug and a kiss on the cheek. That was who she was, always concerned about others even though it was some times a detriment to her own health. It was amazing how many people she knew and how many of them considered themselves friends. It was because she had a way about her so that people knew in a very short time that she truly cared for them and therefore made friends anywhere she went. Wherever we went at the home, it seemed almost everyone we met said hi Rosemary to her or would stop to chat or hug her and ask how she was doing and to most of them her inability to speak clearly didn’t matter, they’d say she’s so easy to understand because everything is right there on her face, in her hugs and her smiles that light up her eyes when she sees you and we all understand that, even if we don’t always know what she’s saying.

She loved to host family events with her husband Paul at their home including amazing Thanksgiving dinners, her son Michael’s wedding, making the wedding cake herself, and she also made a 50^th Anniversary wedding cake and hosted the party with Paul for her in-laws Al & Helen. That started her own little business for a few years when she made wedding and anniversary cakes for family & friends. There were chili dinners for the mailmen Paul worked with, birthdays, barbeques, anniversaries, New Year’s Eve parties and Christmas celebrations, so many wonderful memories and lots of laughter for so many people in Rose & Paul’s home that we could be here for a long time reminiscing and saying remember that time when? She was at the heart of all those events always cooking and baking up a storm, making sure everyone was well fed, happy and feeling well loved because that’s just who she was.

She was good at so many things and I’m sure a lot of people still have something she made for them with her own two hands, crocheting, knitting and crafting items for many in the family, for friends and by request for their loved ones, she’d knit blankets & booties for newborns, afghans, crocheted items and more craft items made for Christmas and birthday presents with Helen when they would go hit Grandpa Pigeons with Al & Paul and start crafting. She made things until her eyes & hands gave out and she could no longer do them. I asked her once how she got through the pain and the monotony of endless hours of making these things, she told me that was the easy part, she said she offered up the pain while thinking of the person she was making it for and the love she felt for them carried her through, she left behind a whole lot of love in those gifts…

She was an amazing woman & mother, guiding her children, grandsons, and great-grandkids by example to strive to be kind and loving human beings with a well developed sense of humor and a twinkle in our eyes and anyone who came in contact with her definitely benefitted from her presence in their life. She affected people in so many different ways and for so many different reasons that the list of people she touched in some way would be endless and there will always be many that we will never know about as well. Mom was a peace keeper her whole life. She wanted peace for everyone in their lives and in hers as well so is it any wonder that when she grew tired and weary and it was time to move on from this life, she did so quietly and peacefully and in doing so, she allowed us to be calm, quiet and peaceful in her leaving us. Her love and kindness will be imprinted on my heart & soul and in many others hearts for many years to come.

The room seemed full right after she was gone, full of unseen husband, family and friends who probably argued about who should come and get her to bring her home. I think they must have called a truce and all decided to come to get her together and that would be expected because she did so much for others, they must have all wanted to do this for her. I know she is with her beloved Paul, their parents, brothers, family, friends and all those she loved and having one heck of a party because the joy she took from and gave to her family and friends was boundless. Her smile alone could light up any day and her hugs and kisses were always the perfect ending to every day I spent with her and will always be remembered for the rest of my life. She was full of light, she was our confidant, best friend, staunchest supporter, and the best place for us to go when we needed unconditional love, understanding, compassion, empathy and forgiveness…I know I am not the only one who feels that way. She was the biggest part of my life these last 5 years and my heart and soul will miss her dearly, I will miss the way she smiled, the joy on her face and the way her eyes lit up when she saw you, her laughter and sense of humor, singing you are my sunshine to her, which started when she first broke her wrists and continued till the night before she passed. I would start singing to her and then with her because she would always start singing with me unless she was ill, then she would hold my hand while I sang to her and smile. I will miss being able to talk with her and laugh about all those silly things we shared in our own little world because that’s how she made you feel when you were with her. I will miss watching the St. Louis Cardinals games with her, she loved them dearly. She was the first person I loved, the one who taught me how to love and the one who most shaped my life until I fell for and married Mark and even now I can hear her whisper in my ear on my wedding day and many occasions after that, “marrying Mark is the best decision you’ve ever made and I’m so proud of you.” Thanks mom for being proud of all of us and we are so happy & proud to have had you for our mom, as I said to you many times, I couldn’t have done any better if I got to pick you out myself and I will miss you like crazy until I see you again…when I will want a smile which makes your eyes light up, an amazing hug and a kiss, because I will be missing you and them every single day till then…

Love Always,

Pam