Mary Sexton Nick
Mary Sexton Nick passed away June 10, 2022. She was born in Marshfield, WI, the first of six children of Marianna Sexton Look and John Henry Look, Jr.
She lived a charmed childhood on Fond du Lac’s Cottage Avenue- playing kick the can on this street’s “safe” one-way block; cutting through Coon’s back yard to shop at Moses’ Meat Market; ice skating at McDermott Park; attending Sunday Mass at St. Agnes Hospital’s old chapel rather than her “home church”; and, of course, summers at Lake de Neveu.
After high school graduation, she attended both Alverno, and St. Norbert Colleges. In 1968 she was married at St. Mary’s Church in Eden, WI.
Despite Mary’s vow to never return to Fond du Lac after high school, she decided to “bloom where you were planted”- and bloom she did. She returned to Fond du Lac in 1978 to raise her three children in the “GreenHouse” on North Park Avenue. The house was known for flying seasonal flags and the many garden paths on the property.
With her children in school and doing well, Mary enrolled in the nursing program at Marian College. She graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.
In 1993 she furthered her education through a St. Agnes Hospital scholarship to attend Emory University’s Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Education Center in Atlanta. Her skills gained through this course enabled her to best assist her patients in achieving their goals of ostomy self-management and wound healing. She was proud to be on the staff of St. Agnes’ Wound Clinic and enjoyed mentoring young nurses in dealing with/managing what she referred to as the “4 Ps” in this specialty area: Puke, Poop, Pee & Puss. Her excellence in nursing practice was recognized in 2005, with her receiving the “Nightingale Award” sponsored by Affinity Health System.
Away from work there was: “Livre-ated Ladies”-a book club she belonged to for 35 years (though she freely admitted to never having “read” a single book during that time). Then there was the: Domino Dolls; Bunco Babes; PEO Chapter K; St. Paul Cathedral’s Mouse Factory; and the Lake de Neveu Girls annual get together- with the latest being a collective 75th Birthday celebration in 2021.
Her passion for travel led her near and far- She had two opportunities to travel to Egypt by cruise ship. The first cruise included stops in The Holy Land (no- not the Mt. Calvary area); the second being the ill-fated Covid Nile River Cruise in 2020 where, miraculously, she was of the select few on the trip that didn’t contract the virus.
Her travels inspired much of her home’s sense of style: Be it oyster shells hauled back from Savannah GA; historic bricks stolen from Old Town in Alexandria, VA; or “borrowed” plant clippings (possibly from the garden of someone reading this)– they all ended up gracing her beautiful Secret Garden and were featured more than once on FdL community Garden Walks. Many, many, many Hawaiian Decorating/Lifestyle books traveled back with her from her numerous and treasured trips to our 50th state. These books also influenced her home’s gracious sense of style (So- Anyone with a coffee table that’s in need of a nice book?).
Her passion for cooking was enjoyed by all who knew her. While New Orleans-style cuisine centers around the well-known “Holy Trinity” of onions, celery & bell peppers; Mary’s Holy Trinity was- cream, butter & cheese: Yes- what’s not to like?!?
A final passion (weakness) of hers was animal rescue. The dumbest dogs and smartest cats- she adopted and loved them all.
She treasured her friendships- many lasting 75 years- including: grade school, neighborhoods, nursing associates, faith communities, and especially her cousins in the Snarski, Olson, Sexton, Farley, and King families who Mary loved dearly. She was a dedicated volunteer for the needy, hungry, and homeless in her community: A lifetime of love and commitment.
She is preceded in death by both her parents, King Tutankhamum, George Washington, and Queen Victoria. She is survived by her siblings: John (Kathleen), David (Susan), Peter (Jean), Paul (Diane), and Anne. She is further survived by her children: Brian (Laurie), David (Maggie), Catherine (Joseph) Leventhal, and six grandchildren: Morgan (Jennings) Erickson, Mackenzie (Bailey) Nick, Marianna, Benjamin, & Emily Leventhal, and Marenda Nick.
SERVICE: Memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 10:00 AM at Hope Lutheran Church, 260 Vincent Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Memorials may be directed to
Lake de Neveu Preserve, Inc.
N5289 Club de Neveu Dr.
Fond du Lac, WI. 54937
The hardship of Christian life is temporary; the reward of Christian life is Eternity.
Kurki Funeral Chapel & Crematory is serving the family, on-line guestbook can be found at www.kurkifuneralchapel.com. 920-921-4420