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Velda “Marion” Mauer, aged 90, passed away peacefully 22 June 2019 at Somerby Senior Living, Orlando, Florida. Marion was born 23 February 1929 in Chicago, Illinois, to Austin Ivan and Hazel (Reay) Webb. She married Raymond “Sherril” Mauer on 25 November 1948. He passed away 7 December 2014 in Winter Haven, Florida, after celebrating sixty-six years of marriage. Marion graduated from Woodruff High School in Peoria, Illinois, and went to work in the secretarial pool at Illinois Bell Telephone. She met Sherril through her friend Monie Olds, who was dating Marvin Mauer, Sherril’s brother. Marv and Monie married two days after Marion and Sherril, with each couple standing as witnesses for the other. She didn’t wear her wedding ring to work at the telephone company because only single women could work there. When they found out she was married, she was fired. The Mauers lived in three different houses along Ehrett Street in Creve Coeur until 1955, when they moved to Pekin. Marion was a homemaker until her youngest child, Keli, went to first grade. At that time she became secretary at L. E. Starke Elementary School in Pekin. In 1977 she went to work in the offices of Pekin Community High School. After retirement, the Mauers spent several years as snowbirds, but in 1992 sold their house in Pekin and moved to Sweetwater Community, Haines City, Florida, where they enjoyed playing golf with their many friends there. Marion was an accomplished seamstress and homemaker, who served as Brownie and Girl Scout leader for many years. She loved to dance, especially jitterbugging to Big Band music like Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Tommy Dorsey. She was a great organizer and with Sherril she was involved in (or leading) the organization of many events and golf tournaments at Sweetwater. After Sherril passed away, she moved to assisted living in Orlando, closer to her son, Jim. For just over two years she had lived at Watercrest Lake Nona (now Somerby Senior Living). She became a fixture in the lobby, spending many hours there, dispensing smiles and hugs to the staff and visitors, who all came to love her. They surrounded her (and her family) with love and kindness, for which her family is extremely grateful. Although Cornerstone Hospice was involved in her care only for her last days, they were a tremendous support for both her and her family. We sincerely thank all of you. She was mother of three children, who survive her: Karen (Tom) Jones of Monroe, New York, Jim (Jean) Mauer of Orlando, Florida, and Keli (John) Sorrentino of West Haven, Connecticut. She was also survived by nine grandchildren: Sarah (Sam) Batschelet, Peter and Andrew Green, Christopher and Thomas Sorrentino, and Tyler, Austin, Lucas, and Katie Mauer; plus two great-grandchildren: Logan and Toby Batschelet. Two sisters predeceased her: Virginia (Webb) Lane and June (Webb) Graham; one sister-in-law survives her: Trudy (Mauer) Closen. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial gifts to Cornerstone Hospice Foundation, 2445 Lane Park Road, Tavares, FL, 32778 (donate.cshospice.org). Your gift is tax deductible.

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Velda Marion Mauer

February 23, 1929 - June 22, 2019