Mary L. Parmalee

SHEBOYGAN / PORTAGE – Mary L. Parmalee, age 81, of Portage, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, July 26, 2015.

Mary was born on December 7, 1933 in Madison, WI, the daughter of Ernest and Luella (Telstead) Zieroth.  She was married on February 14, 1982 at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Portage to Wayne W. Parmalee.  Mary had worked in food service as a cook.  Her family was very important to her, and she loved playing with her great-grandchildren.  Mary enjoyed playing bingo and cards;  wherever and whenever.  She was an avid Packers, Badgers and NASCAR fan, (#24 Jeff Gordon was her favorite), and she loved to attend the state fair.  Mary solved many puzzles and crosswords;  she read books, loved cats, and enjoyed sitting by the campfire, eating s’mores.  She also really loved fudge.  Mary was known to stick out her tongue, and say “I’m going to slap your hair off!” 

Mary is survived by her children, Harold (Peggy) Cook, Sheboygan, Debora (Larry) Putnam, Reedsburg, and Hiram “Buddy” (Chan’nel) Hernstine, Portage;  her grandchildren, Angie Fink, Kathy (Jeremiah) Rehrauer, Stacey Ryan, Jamie (Jon) Cook, Duane Putnam, Amber (Michael) Carroll, Tiffany (Brett) Williamson, Nichole (Aaron) Carlson, Brittany (Corey) Jepson, and Donna Dayag;  24 great-grandchildren;  her brother, Ernest “Sonny” Zieroth, Richland Center;  her sisters, Joyce (Vern) Henning, Waterloo, Barb (Brian) Schleif, Waterloo, and Rosie (Bill) Phillips, Menominee, MI;  nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Wayne, her sister, Pauline “Billie” Boese, her brother, Elmer “Butch” Zieroth, and her sister-in-law, Evelyn Zieroth.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2015 at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage, with the Rev. Kurt Klingbeil officiating.  Burial will follow in Silver Lake Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage.