Mary JoAnn Koziolek, 79, of Wells, died on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013, surrounded with love and prayers by her family at Parkview Care Center in Wells. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Wells. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today with a 7 p.m. rosary at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. The Rev. Thomas Niehaus will officiate and burial will be in St. Casimir Catholic Cemetery in Wells. Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells is in charge of arrangements. Please see brussheitner.com to leave online condolences.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Casimir Catholic Church or to the Schoenstatt Retreat in Sleepy Eye.

Mary was born Jan. 13, 1934, in Marshfield, Wis., the daughter of John and Leona (Laufenberg) Motl. She attended school in Marshfield and moved to Easton when she was in third grade where she attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School and graduated from Wells-Easton High school, the class of 1952. Mary was united in marriage to Luverne Koziolek on Nov. 5, 1955, in Easton. She worked at Musser’s Hatchery in Wells and then the ASCS office in Blue Earth. After her marriage, she stayed home to care for her children. She loved to cook, sew and clean. She raised vegetable and flower gardens and canned her own vegetables. She spent her life caring for other people and was a wonderful role model for her family. She loved her family and she faithfully raised her children. Mary was a long-time faithful member of St. Casimir’s Catholic Church in Wells and CCW. She was a devoted member to Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement.

Mary is survived by her eight children, Dennis (Dianne) of Wells, Dan (Cindy) of Faribault, Roger (Sandy) of Alden, Donna Yokiel and Dianne (Bill) Rauenhorst, all of Easton, Steve (Carolyn) of Northfield, Annette (Craig) Kraft of Kenyon and Mike (Debbie) Koziolek of Wells; 17 grandchildren, Bethany Koziolek, Nic, Ben and Anna Koziolek, Joe (Kristi), Brian, Sarah (Matt Parkins) and Susan Koziolek, Scott (Kimberly), Stacie Yokiel and Katie (Jonathan) Radford, Tim (Megan) and Lindsey Rauenhorst, Nicole Koziolek, Karl and Angela Kraft and Samuel Koziolek; nine great-grandchildren; two sisters, Joyce (Ted) Northwick and Jane (Warren) Wehner; one brother, Bill (Sue) Motl; two sisters-in-law, Marie Motl and Mary A. Koziolek; along with many nieces and nephews and their families.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Luverne; brother, Don Motl; in-laws, Paul and Agnes Koziolek; brother-in-law, Ray Koziolek; and nephew, Robert Motl.