Marcella Berendsen

Marcella H. (Cross) Berendsen, 87, Allouez, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, January 4, 2015, at St. Vincent Hospital.

She was born on February 24, 1927, in Green Bay, the daughter of the late Lemmie & Julia (Bodart) Cross.

Marcella attended of St. Joseph's Academy, graduating in 1946.
She married Lawrence Berendsen on May 16, 1949, at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. He preceded her in death on September 23, 1988.

Marcella loved music and appreciated the importance of good quality music at church and in the community, and was an accomplished accordion player.

She sang soprano with: Russ Widoe, St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Choir, the Diocesan Choir, and the Dudley Birder Chorale. She was involved with the Brown County Civic Music Association.

Marcella was an active church member of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Parish her whole life. She served on the worship committee and was involved in numerous parish activities .Marcella was music librarian for Cathedral music directors and organists. She assisted in making programs for music services, especially, "The Service of Shadows," a Good Friday ecumenical evening service.

She was a skilled legal secretary, very detailed orientated, precise and methodical in her work. She loved history, research, fact finding, and was attuned to religious and political issues. Marcella was a talented writer and editor for the "Cathedral Echoes" and for several other parish directories and books.

Marcella's church family was very important to her. She was a good listener and always took interest in people and wanted to know how they were doing. All who knew Marcella were aware of her love for chocolate and sweets of all kinds.

Marcella enjoyed travel and she had the opportunity to see Rome in 2001 and she traveled to Washington D.C. for the inauguration of President George Bush.

She thoroughly enjoyed watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade each year and the Christmas Eve Mass at the Cathedral on big screen TV.

Marcella thrived on learning new skills. She found computers and tablets fascinating, and more recently she took an interest in texting her friends.
Marcella's Catholic faith was very important to her. Marcella will be missed by her friends, young and old. Thank you, Marcella, for sharing your life with each of us.

She is survived by her brother, Milton (Judy) Cross; nieces and nephews, Karleen Cross and her daughter, KaCie Ley, Lisa (Bob) O'Leary, Cindy Monfils and her daughter, Katelynn, Sandra (Geoff) Wyllie, Gary (Lori) Galbraith, Glenn (Teresa) Galbraith and Sharon Galbraith; grandnieces and grandnephews, other relatives and friends.

Marcella is preceded in death by her husband; sister, Lucille Galbraith; and nephew, Kevin Cross.

Visitation will be held from 9:00am until 10:45am on Friday, January 9, 2015, at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, located on the corner of Walnut & Monroe in Green Bay. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00am with Rev. Joseph E. Dorner officiating. Entombment will be at Allouez Chapel Mausoleum.

The family would like to offer a warm note of appreciation and extend a special thank you to all of Marcella's close friends that provided assistance and companionship to her over the years. "We are forever indebted to you all!"