Mary Louise Boothby

Mary Louise Kasischke-Boothby was born in St. Joseph on Nov. 23, 1935 to Fred and Mary Kasischke. She passed away July 10, 2021 at her daughter’s home on Lake Chapin Road in Berrien Springs.

When she was 10 years old, the family moved to the farm on Old Pipestone Road, Eau Claire. She attended Eau Claire schools, then graduated from Cedar Lake Academy, Cedar Lake, Mich. in 1953. She graduated with an RN degree from Hinsdale Sanitarium Nursing School in 1956. She worked as an RN in California, then later at the offices of Drs. Fattic, Garrett, and Peshka in Niles. Later she worked at Berrien General Hospital where she met her future husband, Robert Boothby, who was also an RN. In 2010, Mary Lou retired after 54 years in the nursing profession, the last 30 years of which she spent as an ICU nurse at Pawating Hospital in Niles.

Bob and Mary Lou lived on Lake Chapin Road for 51 years. To this union two children were born, Melinda Boothby (Martin) Smith of Berrien Springs and Mark Loren Boothby of Victoria, Australia. She loved her grandchildren: Elizabeth Smith (Rich) Carpenter, Charles Smith, Sarah Smith (Ryan) White; and four great-grandsons: Alex, Adam, Andrew and Aiden Carpenter.

Mary Lou was an international traveler, an avid reader, and she enjoyed her many flowers and birds at her home.

She leaves to mourn her passing: her children and grandchildren; sisters, Barbara (Marvin) LaCourt and Susan Reeves; brother, Dr. Fred (Diane Rayspes) Kasischke; her loyal companion (a standard poodle), Zeus; and many nieces and nephews that loved to go to Mary Lou’s home for special foods and fun on the lake.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her brother, Chester Kasischke and his wife, Lavonne; brother-in-law, Dr. Bill Reeves; nephew, Rick Kasischke; and granddaughter-in-law, Stephanie Honrada.

Please share a memory online at www.allredfuneralhome.com.