Mary Dwyer Hipenbecker

Mary Ellen Dwyer-Hipenbecker, 85 of Waukesha died at Waukesha Memorial Hospital April 25, 2010.  She was born in LaCrosse, WI on February 3, 1925 to Dr. Eugene Herbert and Lillian (nee: Johnson) Townsend.    Mary Ellen was a graduate of LaCrosse Central High School and University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse with a bachelor’s degree in education.  She taught at Butler Middle School for many years.  She was a longtime member of P.E.O., WEA and Southminster Presbyterian Church.  On September 28, 1996 she married Robert Hipenbecker at Southminster Presbyterian Church.  She will be sadly missed by her husband Robert of Waukesha, her daughters Sue (Jerry) Spahn and Jane (Kevin) Allen both of Waukesha, stepchildren Greg (Lynn) Hipenbecker of Brookfield, Ron Hipenbecker of Brookfield and Jan (Ron) August of Nashotah.  Dear grandmother of Jennifer Woyahn, Katy Allen, Andrew and Sara Caracci, Kim (Kurt) Weber and Rob Hipenbecker and great grandmother of Katarina Weber.  She is further survived by her brothers Rev. Allan (Carla) Townsend of LaCrosse and John (Peggy) Townsend of Amherst, MA, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.  She was preceded in death by her first husband Jack Dwyer in 1977, as well as her parents. Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 8 from 3:00 PM until the 5:00 PM Funeral Service at Southminster Presbyterian Church, 200 Richard St. in Waukesha.  Private interment will be held at Prairie Home Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to P.E.O. Executive Office Treasurer's Dept 3700 Grand Ave. Des Moines IA 50312 or to Southminster Presbyterian Church 200 Richard Street Waukesha, WI 53189. For further information, please call Randle-Dable Funeral, Cremation and Preplanning Services at (262) 547-4035, or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com to leave an on-line tribute.