Mary Lou (Hess) Kirner

Mary Lou (Hess) Kirner passed away late Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at her residence in Sandusky. 

Mary Lou was born in Sandusky, OH on May 7, 1925 to the late Mary Louise and Clarence J. Hess. She grew up on the east end of Sandusky, living on 5th Street, with her parents and older brother, Frank. 

While attending Sandusky High School, she participated in several clubs (Forum, Photography, Dramatics) and served as the head editor of the Fram yearbook. With her impish grin, she would tell her children how the “Terrible 10” had asked her to join their group of girls in high school.  She graduated as the top scholar of her class in 1942.

Mary Lou met the love of her life, Bill Kirner, after he returned from World War II. They spent their courtship with picnics, dancing, trips to Cedar Point and attending daily mass together. They married on May 21, 1947, and raised a beautiful family of 15 children together, enjoying 64 years of marriage. After many years of walking around the Mills Creek Golf Course while Bill golfed, she took up the game at age 75.  

Both faithful servants, Mary Lou and Bill volunteered for the Soup Kitchen and the Holy Angels Bereavement Committee. In the 1970s she volunteered at Holy Angels School, where her children attended. She loved working in the school library, and would always have a suggestion for a good book to read.  While volunteering in the school cafeteria, she baked her favorite brownie recipes, adjusting the ingredients to make hundreds.  Later in life she volunteered her time at Care and Share, often bringing home doll clothes to repair. 

Both Mary Lou and her husband Bill deeply treasured their family and set an example of kindness, care towards one another, faith and service. One of her greatest joys was knowing her family liked to spend time with each other. Her children fondly remember years of family game nights, trips to East Harbor, wearing matching clothes at outings to the zoo, wiffle ball games in the back yard, bowling in teams against each other, “Kirner Family Olympics”, and family letters where Mary Lou would start the letter with the children still at home and send it on to those at college or away, and each child would add to the letter and send it on to the next.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband,Bill, her brother, Frank Hess, daughter, Sally Kirner and son-in-law, Brian Wolfe. 

Mary Lou is survived by her children:  Tom (Pat),  John (Linda),  Nancy (Jim) Griffith, Pat (Randy) Gaertner, Jim (Leona),  Kathy, Mary Beth, Robert, Michael, Susy (Dan) Pribe, Martha Wolfe, Steven (Traci), Scott (Karen), Amy (Ralph) Chamberlain;  her 27 grandchildren:  Christine (Dan) Faas, Joel (Anna), Philip, Benjamin (Lyric), Jonathan Kirner; Karen (Gregoire) de Chazelles, Kevin Kirner; Scott (Jolene) Griffith, Jenny (Andy) Napier; Matt Gaertner, Kate (Chris) Meissner; Jeff (Maya), Harrison (Gabbi) Kirner; Josh Pribe, Sarah Pribe; Sean Wolfe, Maria Wolfe; Erin, Eric, Julia Kirner; Emma, Claire, Joseph Kirner; Luke, Celia, Max, Liam Chamberlain; and her 10 great-grandchildren: Owen and Lillian Griffith; Connor, Theodore and Valerie Faas; Jack and Lane Meissner; Paul and Sofia de Chazelles; Emma Napier

The family gives special thanks to the Amazing Angels LLChealth care aides, who cared for Mary Lou during the last years of her life, enabling her to stay at home in the house her husband built.  These care workers treated her with such love and respect and her family is extremely grateful. 

Visitation will be held on Friday, June 9, 2023, from 6-8 pm at the David F. Koch Funeral & Cremation Services, 520 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky.  Prayers will be recited Saturday morning, June 10, 2023, at 9:30 am at the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am at Holy Angels Catholic Church, 428 Tiffin Avenue, Sandusky.  Fr. Zach Brown officiating.  Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Sandusky. 

Memorial contributions may be made to:  the Sally Kirner Memorial Scholarship Fund, and sent to:   Fiscal Office, 407 Decatur St. Sandusky, OH Attention: Julia Bittinger;   or St. Mary’s Church/Community Supper  429 Central Ave. Sandusky OH 44870

We will forever miss her beautiful, kind soul.  Your memories and words of comfort may be expressed to Mary Lou’s family at www.davidfkoch.com

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