ST. PAUL - Mary L. Strasser, 97, a longtime St. Paul resident, died at 6:05 a.m. Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. She had been in failing health for the past week. She was born Jan. 31, 1908, in Brazilton to Christopher and Cora (Burnett) Brogan. She grew up and attended schools in St. Paul. Following high school, she graduated from a beauty school in Kansas City. For several years, she worked at Mrs. Cole's Beauty Shop in Chanute and later the Hillside Beauty Shop in Wichita. After World War II, she moved to St. Paul and operated a beauty shop in her home until she retired in the 1960s. She was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul, the Daughters of Isabella and the Altar Society. In her earlier days, she enjoyed knitting. She also enjoyed fishing, bowling, cooking and playing bingo. She married John F. Lancaster on Feb. 14, 1927, at St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul. He preceded her in death on May 20, 1957. She married J.T. Strasser on Jan. 12, 1965. He preceded her in death Sept. 14, 1973. Survivors include a daughter, Ruth Schoenhofer and her husband, Joe, of St. Paul; and four grandchildren, Steve Schoenhofer and his wife, Debbie, of Branson, Mo., Donna McElroy and her husband, Kenny, of St. Paul, Monica Breaker and her husband, Chris, of Houston and Christy Koester of Wichita; 14 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by an infant granddaughter, Margaret Suzanne Schoenhofer; a brother; and seven sisters. The funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Francis Catholic Church with the Rev. Daniel Vacca officiating. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery. The Daughters of Isabella rosary will be recited at 3:30 p.m. and the parish rosary at 7 p.m., both Thursday at St. Francis Catholic Church. The family will receive friends following the evening rosary at the church. Memorials to either St. Francis Church Steeple Fund or to Hospice of Kansas may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, 405 Main, Parsons, 67357.

Obituary, Parsons Sun, September 1, 2005.