Obituary of Mary Drown

Mary Pauline "Mauneen" Drown, 83, of the Elim Home in Princeton, formerly of Palo Verde, Arizona, passed away on Friday, December 18, 2009 at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids. She was born on October 15, 1926 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to Carl and Evelyn (Ketchum) Rodiger. Mauneen grew up in Chippewa Falls, WI where she attended grade school and graduated from Chippewa Falls High School in 1945. After high school she attended Northwestern College in St. Paul and the McPhail School of Music in Minneapolis. She played the piano for the first Billy Graham Crusades and also accompanied baritone soloist George Beverly Shea. While Mauneen was teaching piano lessons at Northwestern College, a student of hers happened to be a young man named Robert Drown. On June 14, 1947 she was united in marriage to Robert Drown at the Gospel Chapel in Chippewa Falls. They first made their home in Minneapolis while he completed his schooling at Northwestern Seminary. Robert became a minister and pastored churches in Minneapolis; Ogema, WI; and Deer Valley, AZ; he and Mauneen continued their ministry in Palo Verde, AZ, after Robert retired. They raised their six children in Arizona. Mauneen served as a church organist and pianist, and in the early years of their ministry she also served as Vacation Bible School coordinator and was active in the women's ministry. Mauneen suffered with multiple sclerosis for over 54 years, but always met life's challenges with patience and perseverance. She kept active with her music and spent only the past three years bound to a wheelchair. Robert passed away in 1998, and Mauneen remained in Arizona until 2000 when she moved to Minnesota and lived with her daughter Marilee. In 2004 she moved to RiverHills in Cambridge and a year later became a resident at the Elim Home in Princeton. She enjoyed writing poetry, but her great love was playing, teaching, and listening to music. She taught all of her children how to play the piano, and all six of them are involved in music to this day. Mauneen was preceded in death by her parents; husband Robert, and sister Gloria Sielaff. She is survived by her children Dawn and husband Bruce Bell of Downingtown, PA; Marilee and husband Roger Selin of Cambridge; Douglas and wife Paula Drown of Mesa, AZ; Ardith and husband Steve Garner of Helotes, TX; Jonathan and wife Becky Drown of Phoenix, AZ; and Loralyn Smith of Phoenix, AZ; as well as 21 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.