Mary Elizabeth (Hillegass) Broeseker

Mary Elizabeth Hillegass Broeseker, 90, completed her journey to heaven on June 6, 2016.  It is impossible to fully describe the impact that she has had and the legacy that she will leave. Mary was born on December 26, 1925 on the beautiful Dividing Ridge Farm in Berlin, PA.  Her parents were Alice (maiden name Egolf) and Ray Hillegass, her sister was Ruth (married to Ralph) (both deceased), and her brother is Dean (Marlene).  She had a very special childhood growing up on the family dairy farm with them.  Her education started in the one-room school house of Allegheny Township Country School.  It continued at Berlin Brothersvalley High School where she met her future husband, Dick Broeseker. Following high school, Mary attended and graduated from Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Cumberland, MD.  Her nursing career was vast and varied; she served as a private duty nurse, school nurse, charge nurse/head nurse of critical care, night supervisor, and trainer and educator.  Her first few years working in St. Petersburg took place at St. Anthony's Hospital and then she worked for over 20 years at Bayfront Medical Center.  In her retirement, she served as a volunteer in schools, nursing homes, and with hospice.  She thoroughly enjoyed taking care of patients and working with her colleagues. Mary and Dick were married in May 1954 and he entered heaven in November 1978.  They had a wonderful marriage and have three children: Tim (Joyce) of Tallahassee, FL; Dana (Kathy) of Safety Harbor, FL; and Amy of Birmingham, AL.  She has six grandchildren: Lauren of Budapest, Hungary; Emily of Birmingham, AL; Andrew (Bayleigh and Parker) of Tallahassee, FL; Perry (Becca) of Dunedin, FL; Sarah (Lyndon) of New Port Richey, FL; and Daniel of Safety Harbor, FL.  She dearly loved her immediate and extended Hillegass and Broeseker families, and they dearly loved her as well. Her faith was very practical and important to her.  She was an active member of Christ United Methodist Church for over 40 years, and she enjoyed the relationships and blessings of that faith community.  She especially enjoyed being in the Friendship Class and helping with the youth group activities when Tim, Dana, and Amy were involved in it.  Her participation in Bible Study Fellowship also provided opportunities for her to grow in her faith. We want to thank Mary's neighbors who have enriched her life over the decades and helped her in meaningful ways.  We are also grateful to the health care personnel who cared for her, especially during these past few years due to her cancer.  Your skill, concern, and compassion have been greatly appreciated. A time of visitation will be at Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home at 2201 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North in St. Petersburg on June 8 from 5pm-8pm.  Visitation will then also take place at Deaner Funeral Home in Berlin, Friday from 5pm-8pm.  A service to honor and celebrate Mary's life will be held at Mt. Zion Hays Church, Meyersdale Saturday at 10am.  She will then be buried next to Dick at the church's hillside cemetery that overlooks gorgeous country land.  In lieu of flowers, Mary requested that contributions be made to the music program at Christ United Methodist Church at 467 1st Avenue North in St. Petersburg, FL, 33701. Thank you, Mary, for everything that you did to make this world a better place.  You will always be in our hearts and minds, and we look forward to seeing you again one day.  "Those we love are with the Lord, and the Lord has promised to be with us.  If they are with Him and He is with us, they cannot be far away." -- Peter Marshall. DeanerFuneralsAndCremations.com

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