ZURGILGEN, Mary Louise

Lake havasu Mortuary & Crematory, Lake Havasu City, AZ - Published on April 21, 2011 - Mary Louise Zurgilgen, 85, passed away on April 19, 2011 in Lake Havasu City, AZ. She was born on December 06, 1925 to Adolf and Maria (Yaun) Sulzer. Mary's parents came to America from Switzerland in the 1920's and resided in Duarte, CA. where they owned a dairy. Mary grew up having fond memories with her brother and family. She had to learn English so she could go to school. She met her husband, Ernest, while she was a young girl and his parents also moved to America from Switzerland in the 1920's. As a young lady she worked at a bank as well as helping at the family dairy. She married her childhood sweetheart in Yuma, Arizona in 1957. They were married for 51 years before he preceded her in death. Mary raised her daughters in California while working at the LaPuente/ Hacienda School District and ran a cafeteria at the district office until her retirement in 1976. She then moved to Parker, AZ. and purchased the Parker Frontier Motel. After leaving Parker Mary and Ernest moved to Kellogg, Idaho and then back to Havasu, where Mary enjoyed her Bunco at the Senior Center and lunches out with her longtime friend, Peggy Smith as well as traveling together. She was a n avid reader and loved to sew. Mary will forever be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother and friend. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends. Mary is survived by her daughters, Joann (Joseph) Gansen and Sandee (Richard Fuscardo; grandchildren, Kristen (Armondo) Alderete, Shannon (Gabriel) Naranjo and Joseph (Katie) Ganser; great grandchildren, Gabriella, Sarah, Shayanne and Gabriel; great-great grandchild, Isabella. She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Ernest Albert Zurgilgen, parents and a great granddaughter, Nina Hope Alderete. Interment will be in Duarte, California.