Mary C. Breirather, age 81, died on November 5, 2023, at Ivy Manor Community Living for
Seniors in West Bend.
She was born in Plymouth on July 22, 1942, to the late Fred R. and Dorothy (Raml) Behnke.
Mary was baptized at St. John the Baptist parish in Plymouth on August 9, 1942. Mary was six
weeks old when her family moved from Plymouth to Sheboygan. Mary was confirmed at Ss.
Cyril & Methodius Church on May 15, 1957. Mary was an alumna of Sheboygan Central High
School.
On January 7, 1961, Mary married Roger K. Breirather in Sheboygan. The couple recently
observed their 62 nd wedding anniversary. Roger died on February 14, 2023.
Mary worked as a sealer-sander for the Ebenreiter Woodworking Company, during the 1960’s.
She became the first woman union steward at Ebenreiter in 1968 and was a member of the
contract negotiating committee during the 1970 strike. After leaving Ebenreiter, Mary was a
dietary assistant at the old Franklin School on Sheboygan’s southwest side.
You may remember Mary as the friendliest cashier at the Magnus Petroleum and Qmart mini-
marts at both South 8 th and Kentucky, and North 14 th and Wisconsin Avenue for 15 years. Mary
finished her working years at Woodcraft, Quasius Contract Furniture and K-Mart.
She also enjoyed sharing her home throughout her years with her special pets, Precious,
Shadow, Brewer, and Ginger. Mary enjoyed following the Milwaukee Brewers and the
Sheboygan A’s baseball. She also had a special affection for polka music, especially Jerry
Schneider and Don Peachy.
Surviving Mary are her four children; Sandra (special friend Jim Strean) Breirather, Ken (Jodilyn)
Breirather, Joann (Tom) Schmidt, and Leann Brandt (fiancé Brian Brandt); eight grandchildren
and eight great-grandchildren; her sisters, Carolyn Uraynar and Rose Rogge; brothers, Fred
(Bonnie) Behnke and Mike Behnke; sister-in-law, Candy (John P) Vandekreeke; step-sisters-in-
law, Kathy (Jerry) Koellner, Karen (Peter) Markelz, Mary (Joel) Kuether, and Cheryl Heim.
A Funeral Service for Mary will take place at NOON on Friday, November 10, 2023, at Ballhorn
Chapels, 1201 N 8 th St. in Sheboygan, with Deacon Michael Burch officiating. Family will greet
visitors on Friday, at the funeral home, from 11:00 AM until the time of the service. Mary will
be laid to rest next to Roger in Wildwood Cemetery.
The family thanks the great doctors, staffs, and caregivers at Froedtert West Bend Hospital on
the 2 nd Floor, the Kewaskum Health Center, and Ivy Manor Community Living.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mary’s name can be made to Habitat for Humanity Lakeside, PO
Box 973 Sheboygan, WI 53082.
To leave an online condolence for the family, please visit www.ballhornchapels.com
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