Mary Ann (Deuschle) Story, age 84, passed away peacefully with her family on Friday, November 17, 2023, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio, after a short second battle of breast cancer.
She was born on September 8, 1939. She was a World War II baby, an only child of Paul and Bessie (Valasek) Krasula. She was very proud of her Czechoslovakian heritage and was raised on a small farm in Genoa, where she graduated from Clay-Genoa High School in 1957 with high honors and enjoyed being a cheerleader. She was a waitress at age 15 under a special work permit at the Blue Moon Restaurant in Genoa until graduation and then worked for Toledo Edison until age 20. She then married Joseph Deuschle of Oak Harbor in 1958 and together they raised three children; she was a devoted and loving homemaker for 10 years.
In 1969, Mary Ann re-entered the workforce, working for Owens-Illinois Ink and Die Plant in Perrysburg for 14 years. While working fulltime and raising her family, she was able to earn an associate’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Toledo. She was then a single, divorced mother. Later, she met her “soul mate,” Augustus (Gus) Story. Together they started Story Color Corp. and worked side-by-side for 13 years until they retired in 1997.
She had an amazing life with Gus, enjoying their lovely home in the woods and creating new and interesting travel experiences on many international continents and visiting all of the United States until he passed in 2006. Since then, she continued traveling with her children and friends to beautiful places. Mary Ann said her most important accomplishment in life was her family. She cherished family holidays and special time with friends.
Mary Ann felt very blessed and had a strong passion for giving back by volunteering at St. Luke’s Hospital for 17 years, until the hospital recently closed. She also volunteered at St. Rose Church, serving meals at Helping Hands of St. Louis in Toledo and, most recently, volunteered at the Perrysburg Food Pantry, distributing food to those in need. She was a member of the Anthony Wayne Garden Club and the 1948 Toledo Art Museum Women’s Group. Her other passions included reading novels, enjoying nature and going to the movies.
She is survived by her three children, Mark (Madonna) Deuschle, Donna (Timothy) Robinson, Mary Jo (Mark) Slowinski, and stepson, Paul (Susan) Story; grandchildren, Gregory Rossler and Jessica (Todd) Curtis; step-grandchildren, Jason (Andrea) Story and Brian Story; great-grandchild, Aubrey Curtis; stepgreat- grandchildren, Amber (Steven) Young, Jillian and Jaclyn Story; stepgreat-greatgrandchildren, Leah and Madison Young.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 26, from 1 to 6 p.m., at the Witz-ler Shank-Walker Funeral Home, 222 East South Boundary, Perrysburg. A Funeral Mass will be held Monday, November 27, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Rose Catholic Church, 215 East Front Street, Perrysburg. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Toledo, where Mary Ann will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband, mother and father.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Rose Catholic Church or Hospice of Northwest Ohio. Condolences may be made online to the family at walker funeralhomes.com.