Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune
November 2, 1995

Mary L. Elchert
Authoress/businesswoman

Mary L. Elchert, 77, formerly of 7 W. Market St., died at 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, 1995, in St. Francis Home, Tiffin.

She was born Nov. 23, 1917, in Tiffin, to Thomas H. and Rosalie (Reiniche) Hartzell. On Feb. 2, 1935, in St. Mary's Church, Tiffin, she married Eugene V. Elchert. He diedn in 1976.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Frank (Marilyn) Rohrbach of Republic, Mrs. Betty Doerfer of Gallipolis and Mrs. Richard (Victoria) Moore of Upper Sandusky; five sons, Gregory of Warrington, Pa., David of Goshen, Ind., Michael and Christopher, both of Tiffin and Timothy of Tampa, Fla.; 40 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Paul (Ellen) Elchert of Tiffin; and two brothers, Victor F. Hartzell of Defiance and Robert Hartzell of Tiffin.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Rosalie Brickner; three sons, Johnnie, Nicholas and Benedict; a sister, Regina Beat; and three brothers, Eugene, Harry and Brother Cesaire.

Mrs. Elchert, with her husband, owned 22 Religious Shops for 23 years, prior to their retirement.

She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, its Rosary Alter Society and St. Francis Home Auxiliary.

In 1970, she wrote a book titled "I Love You Mom," and it was published in hardcover in 1972.

A charter member of the Sweet Adilines, a founding member and speaker for the Tiffin Right-To-Life, she also was a member of the St. Joseph Ladies Choir for many years and the Catholic Ladies of Columbia.

Mrs. Elchert and her husband sponsored the education of several nuns and priests including one that became a bishop.

In 1947, she campaigned to ban the movie "Forever Amber" in Tiffin and largely, through her efforts, the movie was never shown in Tiffin or Fostoria.

A funeral mass will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in St. Joseph Catholic Church, where the rosary will be prayed at 11:15 a.m. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Friday at the Hannay-Nemith Mortuary, where a Wake service will be at 3:45 p.m.

Memorials may be made to Community Hospice Care or Patchwork House in Tiffin.

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