(Note that obituary birth date does not match the birth date on her tombstone.)
Mary Johns was born July 23, 1869 at Valparaiso, Indiana and died at her home south of Wauneta, August 23, 1921, aged 52 years. When a small child, she moved with her parents to Seward, Nebraska, where she grew to young womanhood and was united in marriage to Henry Petsch, March 5th, 1885. They came to Dundy County shortly after their marriage and located on a homestead south of Wauneta where she lived until her death.

Mrs. Petsch was a loving wife, a kind-hearted mother and a good neighbor. She had been a patient sufferer for a number of years, and although she had been taken to the best doctors in Lincoln, Omaha, Rochester, Minn., and other places, all that loving hands could do for her was done, the end came very suddenly. Mr. Petsch was with her until 3:00 a.m. the morning she died and when he came to her at 5:00 o'clock she was dead.

She was the mother of 14 children: Pearl Prime of Mirtchell, Nebr.; Laura Gauger of Wauneta, Nebr.; Velma Green of Enders, Nebr.; Alice Schneider of Wauneta, Nebr.; Ada and Vada at home; Fred, of Mitchell, Nebr.; John, Jess, Joe, Guy, Elmer, Marion and Kenneth. Besides her family, she leaves to mourn her loss three sisters, Mrs. Walt Rowden of Lincoln, Mrs. Con Sholl of Milford, Mrs. Minn Hickerson of Lincoln and one brother Harry Johns of Nebraska City and her father and mother of Milford.

Softly the stars are falling
Upon a lovely grave;
Where sleeps without dreaming
One we loved and could not save.

Oh, do not ask if we miss her,
For there's such a vacant place;
Oft we think we hear her footsteps,
Oft we see her smiling face.

For many years the family chain
Was closely linked together;
But, oh, that chain is broken now
One link is gone forever.

Smooth the lock of silver hair
On our mother's brow with tender care
Gather the robes in final fold
Around the form so still and cold;

Lay on her bosom pure as snow,
The fairest sweetest flowers that grow
Kiss her and leave her, our heart's delight,
Her pain is over, she sleeps tonight.