Mary Louise Morstain

February 1, 1930 - December 22, 2020

Mary Louise (O’Haran) Morstain was born in East St. Louis, IL to Marguerite (Meehan-O’Haran) Spengel and John (Jack) O’Haran on February 1, 1930. Surrounded by family, Mary passed peacefully at her daughter’s home in Highland, IL on December 22, 2020 at the age of 90. She was preceded in death by her parents, her step-father, Ray Spengel, her husband, Gene Morstain, sister, Patricia (O’Haran) Godsil and brothers-in-law Richard “Dick” Hebrank and Patrick Godsil. Mary was loved by her three sisters: Margaret (Peggy) Hebrank of Highland, Michaelene (Mickey) O’Haran of Highland and Rita (Bunny) Gonzalez of O’Fallon, IL; her sister-in-law Kay (Don) Prott of Edwardsville; her six children: Geno Morstain of Godfrey, Stacy (Jim) Kraus of Highland, David (Heather) Morstain of Virginia Beach, VA, Leah (Dale) Kehrer of New Baden, IL, Amy (Greg) Munie of Highland and Jane (Brian) Stanhaus of Edwardsville, IL; her nine grandchildren: Jeremy Goebel, Jennifer Morstain, Amanda (Kraus) Zumwalt, Brooke Terrill, Shelby Kehrer, Adam Munie, Grace, Claire and Eve Stanhaus; her great-grandchildren, Saylor Beck and Maddox Zumwalt. “Aunt Mary” was also cherished by many nieces, nephews and their children. Mary was the oldest of five daughters and moved with her family to a farm outside of Highland, IL in 1942. There they had cattle, horses and various livestock. She graduated from St. Paul Catholic High School in 1948. She worked at Wicks Organ Company out of school, but her love was cattle. She continued breeding and showing Black Angus after high school, traveling and trading prized cattle for American business moguls such as J. C. Penney and Dean McGee (of Kerr-McGee Corporation). But it was Gene Morstain of Highland who stole her beautiful Irish heart and they married February 14, 1958. Gene became a commercial construction superintendent for S. M. Wilson & Co., and he and Mary spent their 41 years of marriage in an exciting, often hectic, life of travel and building development. They would move to new cities for one to three year periods…Gene would build a mall, a pharmaceutical plant, or a hotel…Mary would find a new house for their six children and make it a home—full of love and bustling activity. Gene passed away on September 22, 1999. Mary continued her mission of supporting and serving her family and God for her remaining years. She was a devout Catholic and member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Highland, IL, and an active church goer at the Catholic parish in every community she lived along the way. Mary loved to sing, read, dance, draw, shop with her sisters and daughters, pray the rosary for those in need, and had a love for architectural design. She was incredibly bright, beautiful, spiritual and was wise beyond words. Mary Morstain will be celebrated at St. Paul Catholic Church with a visitation from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. on December 28th, with mass to follow at 11:00 a.m. Facial masks will be required. Interment to follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Memorials may be offered to St. Paul Catholic Church or Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund at www.HeartlandHospiceFund.org/Donate.