Helene M. Wegemer, 85, a resident of the St. John Specialty Care Center of Mars and formerly of St. Marys, faithful wife, beloved mother and cherished friend went home to God Monday morning at the St. John Specialty Care Center following a 10-year battle with progressive supranuclear palsy.

She was born Nov. 14, 1923, in St. Marys, a daughter of the late Leo and Mary Niest Schaut.

She was a graduate of Central Catholic High School, Class of 1941.

She had lived in Mars since 1963 and was a retired employee of the Mars School District, retiring in 1990.

On June 11, 1946, in the St. Mary Church, she married Benedict P. Wegemer, who preceded her in death March 3, 2003.

She is survived by three daughters, Virginia (Mrs. John) Powers of Broomfield, Colo., Maria (Mrs. Michael) Kletzli of Butler and Alicia (Mrs. Gary) Barrett of Stevensville, Md.; five sons, Ronald S. Wegemer of Washington, D.C., Gerard B. Wegemer of Irving, Texas, Leo B. Wegemer and his wife, Teresa, of Fort Worth, Texas, Joel V. Wegemer and his wife, Renee, of Norman, Okla., and Christopher C. Wegemer and his wife, Patricia, of Dover, Del.; one sister, Miriam Meier of St. Marys; one brother, Paul Schaut and his wife, Marie, of St. Marys; and 14 grandchildren.

She was a member of St. Kilian Church in Mars and a member of the St. Kilian Church Women’s Guild.

WEGEMER — Visitation for Helene M. Wegemer, who died Monday, March 2, 2009, will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the Lynch-Radkowski Funeral Home, 169 Center St., St. Marys. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Mary Church in St. Marys. Burial will follow in the St. Mary Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, P.O. Box 96305, Washington, DC 20090; Cure PSP, Executive Plaza 3, 11350 McCormick Road, Suite 906, Hunt Valley, MD 21030; or to St. Kilian Church, 7076 Franklin Road, Cranberry Township PA 16066.