Mary Carol (Rodwell) Meier, 57, passed away peacefully at her home in Rochester, Minnesota, on Aug. 31, 2020, from complications of a rare abdominal cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei. During 12-1/2 years of her cancer journey, she persevered through several major surgeries and other difficulties, always striving to live a life full of faith in her Lord, of grace toward others and of hope (her favorite word) for here and for eternity. She will be sorely missed here but is now free from her earthly pain and sharing eternity with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Mary was born with her twin brother, Mark, on May 3, 1963, in Watertown, to Daniel and Roseann (Reinertson) Rodwell. She spent most of her childhood in East Troy, and graduated from East Troy High School, class of 1981.
Mary graduated from The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with her degree in communicative disorders in 1985. She earned her master’s degree in audiology from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1987. She completed her clinical fellowship year in audiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1989.
Mary then started work at Olmsted Medical Group, later known as Olmsted Medical Center, creating the Department of Audiology and serving as the department supervisor for 19 years. Mary started the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program at OMC Hospital in 1997, the second such program in Minnesota.
She earned her Doctor of Audiology degree from Central Michigan University in 2003 with research in evidence-based protocols for medical evaluations of hearing loss in infants.
She retired from OMC in October 2019 because of her health. During her 30 years there, Mary was honored to serve many hearing impaired patients and their families. She was very active in the audiology community, serving on state committees and volunteering to help those in need through the local Hearing Aid Bank. Mary received the Sertoma Service to Mankind Award (local and district) for her volunteerism in 1994 and the OMC Above and Beyond the Call of Duty award in 2002. She was honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award in Audiology from the Minnesota Academy of Audiology in 2017.
Mary had a passion for audiology, especially pediatric audiology, and was always eager to learn more about hearing and to help her patients and others she met to care for their own hearing.
In 1988, with help from a match-making friend, she met the love of her life, Curtis Paul Meier. They married on May 5, 1990, at Grace Lutheran Church in Rochester where they remained members. In 2004, they began their parenting journey with their beautiful daughters, Brittany and Megan, through the gift of adoption. Mary was a loving wife and mother. She cherished making memories with her family, especially their special vacations.
Mary was very active in her Christian faith. She served in various local and district positions with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. As an LWML Young Woman Representative for the Minnesota South District in 1994, she spoke to women’s groups about the “Power of a Penny” as a means of helping the poor.
In her own congregation, Mary loved singing praises to her Lord as both a soloist and a 30 year member of the choir. She enjoyed teaching seventh- and eighth-grade Sunday school for many years. She actively participated in many local women’s fellowship opportunities and Bible study groups.
Her favorite Bible verses were Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.”), Colossians 3:23 (“Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord and not for man.”) and Matthew 11:15 (“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”).
She continually used her CaringBridge entries to share her faith, grace and hope, often with the reminder, “God is good all the time; all the time God is good.”
Mary greatly enjoyed many other activities including flower gardening, sewing, painting, scrapbooking, home improvement projects, sharing coffee with her friends and being in the sunshine, especially with our dog Sammy.
Mary is survived by her husband, Curtis; daughters, Brittany and Megan; parents, Daniel and Roseann (Reinertson) Rodwell, of Reedsburg; mother-in-law, Virginia (Jacobs) Meier of Jefferson City, Missouri; sister, Donna (Dave) Van Grinsven of Appleton; brother, James (Jenny) Rodwell of Lake Delton, Wisconsin; twin brother, Mark (Beth) Rodwell of Cottage Grove; brother, Joseph (Lorrie) Rodwell of Troy Center; aunt, Carolyn Reinertson of Ft. Myers, Florida; aunt, Sarah (Patrick) Gavinski of Columbus, Ohio; uncle, Thomas (Linda) Rodwell of Milwaukee; aunt, Connie (Rodwell) Webster of Pardeeville; five nieces, Rose Van Grinsven (Juan) Parra, Joan (Rob) Doss, Mary Rodwell, Danielle (Jesse) Kangas, and Rebecca Rodwell; nephew, John Rodwell; godchildren, Nicole (Andy) Forss, Sander (Ashley) Anderson, Mary Rodwell, Sarah Arndt and Payton Richard; and countless close friends.
Mary loved her large family and her many, many friends.
She was preceded in death by her father-in-law, Paul Meier; her grandparents Lawrence and Ann (Lavenz) Reinertson and Mordecai and Estella (Thies) Rodwell and stepgrandmother Frances (Klapper) Rodwell; and her college friend Jinny Sokolowski.
Mary desired to be an organ donor but knew her cancer limited the possibilities. Her family is thankful her corneas were able to be donated to the Lions Gift of Sight eye bank.
Mary’s family wishes to thank all those near and far who have richly blessed us over the years, especially with your gifts of prayer, encouragement and friendship. They also thank the numerous Mayo Clinic staff who cared for Mary during her cancer journey, including those in the Oncology, Surgery and Emergency departments, the two Rochester Mayo hospitals and the Intestinal Failure, Palliative Care and Hospice teams.
The family gives special thanks to Mindy Hartgers (Oncology) who was with Mary since the start of her cancer journey and Dr. Cari Low (Palliative Care) and Maureen Bigelow (Hospice) who helped us navigate the final months of her journey. May God bless you all as He has so richly blessed us through you.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Grace Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minnesota. Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.
Burial will take place at Oakwood East Cemetery.
The family suggests memorial gifts to the OMC Regional Foundation Mary Meier Memorial Pediatric Amplification Patient Care Fund (www.omcregionalfoundation.org) or The Grace Foundation, supporting Christian education at Rochester Central Lutheran School (www.grace-foundation.org).
Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes is honored to be serving the Meier family. To leave a special memory or condolence, visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com.
