Mary E. Hebert

mary e. hebert
Mary Elizabeth (Klontz) Hebert lived life sharing her love through smiles, service and community. Born October 1, 1932 to Helen Rose Fritz and John Valentine Klontz in Cummings ND. Mary loved riding bike with her friends and ice skating, and she was a hard-working contributor among her five siblings. (She is survived by Timothy Klontz of Fargo and predeceased by Lloyd Klontz, Virginia Smith, Mayo Klontz and Madonna Sweeney.) She told stories of making mud pies, decorating them with dandelions and tasting them. Mary E. Klontz married Willard J. Hebert on November 29, 1952 at Church of the Holy Family in Seattle, Washington. They created a life together and raised their children while also contributing much to the community of Fargo. Together they have shared great faith. They were generous in showing their love to each other and as an example to their sons and daughters. In her adult life, Mary was a chef and artist in the kitchen, perfecting lemon meringue pie (among many others) for her husband Willard Hebert of 67 years, creating birthday cakes of all shapes and colors, and oh… the cookies. Without exaggeration, Mary baked literally thousands of cookies every year. “If I had a nickel for every cookie,” she would say. At Christmas she filled baking boxes with all varieties of her sweet treats to share with neighbors, friends, and family. She knew all the grandkids’ favorite cookies, and baked dozens at a time. Mary entertained guests, welcoming anyone who arrived for an unexpected visit and planning scrumptious meals for 20 or 30 people and even hundreds like at the Holy Spirit Church Bazaar dinners. Mary lit up with babies and children as if she was literally made for her family role. She was mother to 8 children (Joel Hebert, Gail Danielski (Allan), Alan Hebert (Jeanine), Kay Selvig (Chris), Mark Hebert (Annette), John Hebert (Kathy), Jane Stumbo (Dan) and Sara Hebert) and two babies (Joseph and Steven) who passed at birth. Grandmother to 13 (Dustin Hebert, Michael Hebert, Tracy Laurence (Michael), Mark Danielski (Sarah), Rachel Fleming (Brian), Lindsey Duff (Daniel), Nancy Selvig, Dillon Hebert, Brandon Weiblehaus, Talon Hebert, Tony Stumbo, Andrew Stumbo (Ginger), and Enso Hebert-Santos). Great grandmother to 9 (Jacob Laurence, Ben Laurence, Stella Danielski, Nora Fleming, Hudson Fleming, Charlotte Duff, Anya Stumbo, William Stumbo, and Freya Stumbo.) You didn’t need to be a relation for Mary to leave her loving mark. After her oldest children had grown out of the home, she served in the Holy Spirit Church Rectory, worked at The Carousel Snack Bar at West Acres, and was the “best lunchroom mom-Sarge” to hundreds of students at Holy Spirit School. One student recalls, “She told us to be quiet and later would come to our lunch table to joke around with us.” She was strict and playful. People loved her stories and enjoyed visiting from afar or down the street. Mary’s faith and fortitude saw her through everything. Surviving cancer, seeing her children face challenges, keeping an organized home, stocked pantry and ironing every t-shirt and hanky. She showed people she thought of them often, sending greeting cards for every occasion, delivering baked goods, and remembering sweet details. She had a memory for details and a mind for numbers and bridge. Mary enjoyed party and duplicate bridge for decades, earning her Life Masters. Praying is perhaps the thing Mary did most, for her children and loved ones. She said the rosary even in her last days. Mary passed on March 11, 2020 at Rosewood on Broadway where she had resided. She filled her 87 years and up to her final days continued to offer smiles and bring kindness. A caregiver captured Mary’s essence perfectly: “She was an extraordinary woman. She could turn anyone’s day around.” Visitation will be 3:30 p.m., with a prayer service at 5 p.m., Sunday, March 15, at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo. Funeral Mass will be 1 p.m. Monday, March 16, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Fargo.

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  1. I am so sorry for the loss of your mom .I share your pain and pray for peace for you Jane and your family .

  2. Aunt Mary
    ETERNAL rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.
    May she rest in peace.

    Donald & Matthew Klontz
    Emily (Klontz), Joseph, & Maxwell Hickman

  3. To our kind, caring, Fargo Aunt, thank you for bringing your brother’s Chicago family into the lives of your family with all the great backyard summer celebrations in the 1960’s and ’70’s. We felt as though we shared more time together then that one special week every August that our family piled into the Chevy station wagon and headed for N. Dakota to see Grandma, our Aunts and Uncles and cousins, thank you for building the bonds that still bind us. We will also remember all the kind, caring phone calls that you made to check in on our mother when she could no longer take your calls, they touched our hearts deeply.
    To Uncle Willy and our cousins we know the pain of losing such a family member, we collectively wrap our arms around your entire family. Love, -Nancy-Sue-Jeff-Tom-Kim-Amy-
    and Beth and Aunt Kathy in postmortem.

  4. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hebert family. Fond memories of Mary. She was always a very good friend to my Mom and i remember her deep laugh when Mary and Willard would be playing cards with my Mom & Dad. Keep those wonderful memories of this beautiful woman close to your hearts always. Deepest sympathy from myself, my Dad, Lavern Ouellette and our family.
    Debbie Ouellette Kroshus

  5. I am so grateful to have known you and I will never forget the mark you have left on my heart. Rest in peace, Mary.

  6. Our mother Gerry and the whole Foerster family loved Mary. She was a pistol. Condolences and blessings.

  7. Hebert Family,

    I was one of the kids at Holy Spirit who saw Sarge in the lunchroom each day. I LOVED her…okay, I was scared of her sometimes :), but her kindness shone through each and every day. I’m now a teacher and was just telling my teaching team all about Mr. Hebert’s strong directions, loud voice, and most of all, her underlying gentle love. I was saying we need more just like her. Lots more just like her. Our world at large and at school would be a much better place.

    I’m so sorry for your loss. I will keep her memory close to my heart.

  8. Joel and Family, My deepest sympathies to you all in your loss. May your memories sustain you during this difficult time.

  9. Prayers and condolences for your entire family. May you all celebrate her life and that beautiful smile of hers!

  10. We were very sorry to hear the news about aunt Mary. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the Hebert family. We are also sorry that we were not able to make the trip to personally extend our condolences to each of you.

  11. John and Family, I have very fond memories of your mom. She was always so kind! My deepest sympathy. Tom Dooher

  12. With loving thoughts and prayers from Scotty and I for your amazing Wife, Mother and Grandmother. Blessings to all of the family.

  13. To the wonderful Hebert Clan
    God bless you all. So sorry for your loss of an amazing woman. You are in our prayers. You are all proof of what a wonderful, loving wife and mother will leave to this world. She must have a large home in heaven.
    Dan Mickelson & Kim Kelly

  14. To the Hebert Family my prayers are with you all as a former Shanley graduate I knew many of you. Losing a parent is hard, you are in my prayers. I just recently realized that Nancy is part of your big clan, that explains why she is such a incredibly nice person.


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