Obituary of Mary Grams

Mary Grams

(April 10, 1933 - November 13, 2021)

Mary Grams was born in Hay Lakes, Alberta on April 10, 1933, the oldest child of Carl Fuernkranz and Marie Brückner. She was followed by siblings Frances, Christine, Rudolf, Carl, Angela and Marlene. Mary was baptized and confirmed at St. Luke’s Church. She attended Swan Hill School and then went to Vermilion College to study Home Economics graduating in 1952. When she returned to Hay Lakes she married Norman Grams on June 12, 1952.  Norman and Mary were married 60 years. They had one son, Brian.

Mary loved family and family gatherings. Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions where opportunities to gather for laughter, food, and visiting. She enjoyed going to the family reunion every summer to reminisce.  She took special joy in her granddaughters and later her great-grandchildren.  She often took care of Iva and Norma while their parents were busy on the farm. Her granddaughters will always cherish memories spent with Grandma during the busy harvest season, working in the garden, playing cards, and eating chocolate bars for breakfast. She was very proud of their accomplishments. Right to the end of her life, she enjoyed hearing about them and seeing them at her bedside.  
Mary embraced the value of hard work from her parents. Growing up she worked on her parent’s farm and after her marriage, she helped her husband to build and maintain a successful mixed farming operation. She also maintained a big garden, pickled and canned everything, butchered and made sausage, and loved baking/cooking. People who came to the Grams house were treated with a smorgasbord of food. After eating their fill, there were lively card games and visiting. Mary always loved people.

Mary also loved music. She played the piano at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church from 1947 to 1957. She played at many funerals and weddings. Later in life she played for the residents of Rosealta and Good Shepherd Homes. In speaking to the staff at Rosealta about her death, the first memory was of the music every day before lunch. Mary also enjoyed maintaining correspondence with her friends from her college days. In 1991, Mary and Norman moved to Camrose. They made many new friends and travelled through the province with floor curling. Mary also made friends with many of her neighbors around her home.  In 2017 Mary moved to Rosealta Lodge. When her health declined she more to the Good Shepherd Care Home in 2020.  In summer of 2021, Mary developed Lymphoma and despite a hard fight succumb to pneumonia November 13, 2021.

Mary is predeceased by her husband, Norman; her parents Carl and Marie Fuernkranz, her siblings Frances and Carl. She leaves to mourn her son Brian (Colleen); granddaughters Iva Harberg (Jason) and Norma Grams (Cody Hinton); great-grandchild Kody and Kase Harberg; siblings Christine Selin (Carl), Rudolf Fuernkranz (Bonnie), Angela Berquist and Marlene Gruenberg (Dieter); sisters-in-law Sharon Fuernkranz and Margaret Grams as well as numerous nieces and nephews.  Mary wanted to express a special thanks to Dale Bowal for all the help he gave her over the years.
Mary touched the lives of many people who will cherish her memory. She went out of her way to care for others and to always be kind. She will be sadly missed.

A private family service was held.

In lieu of flowers, if family and friends so desire, memorial contributions in Mary's memory may be made to Our Savior Lutheran Church (Hay Lakes) or to the Cross Cancer Institute.