Burdett -Marie Wilhelmina Reich, 97, died November 5, 2013 at Diversicare of Larned, Kansas.

She was born south of Down, Kansas in Osborne County, November 3, 1916, to William and Pauline Lessman Reich. Her mother passed away when she was 4 years old. William raised Marie and her older brother Walter until he married Anna Albrecht in 1923. Marie was baptized and confirmed in the Zion Lutheran Church at Tipton, Kansas. She graduated from High Prairie Rural School and Osborn High School. She worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company as an operator for 35 years. During her adult years, she changed her name to Mary and was affectionately also known as Mimi.

Following retirement, Mary was very active in Meals on Wheels in Concordia, Salina and Minneapolis, was a member of the senior bowling league in Salina, and worked 14 years as a Red Cross volunteer at both hospitals in Salina. In the summer of 2002 she moved to Burdett to be near her niece and family. There she belonged to the Burdett UMW, Burdett Seniors and the Shiley Club.

On September 20, 1949, she married Tom F. Robinson. On July 29, 1979, she married Kenneth Rogge at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Salina where she was a member. Kenneth passed away February 12, 1983.

She leaves to mourn her passing a niece Carolyn Reich Musil and husband Lee and their son Richard and wife Crissel of Great Bend. Also surviving are step-children, step-grandchildren, and step-great-grandchildren plus a host of relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, step-mother, brother and 2 sisters who died in infancy.

Graveside Service will be 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Zion Lutheran Cemetery, rural Tipton, Kansas with Pastor Brad McCoy presiding. Visitation will be from noon to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday and 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday at the Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned.

Memorials may be given to the Diversicare of Larned in care of the Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com