Mary Ann Rich

Mary Ann Rich, 90, passed away peacefully at her home on July 19, 2019. Funeral services will be held at Hamilton’s Funeral Home at 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday, July 24 at 2:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 1:00–2:00 pm.

Mary was born on May 15, 1929 in Spokane, Washington to Joseph and Elizabeth Platt. She was one of ten children. Mary’s father passed away when she was only 9, but her mother was a wonderful role model with strong faith. She imparted her work ethic to her kids who helped in countless ways as they grew up. Mary had many stories of babysitting her younger siblings. One of them involved the lot of them hiding under the dining room table during a thunder storm praying the rosary—and, when thunder struck, for mama to come home.

She was proud of her time as a cook at Iowa State University where she worked for 25 years. Things changed over the years from making everything from scratch to popping prepared foods into the oven. But she always enjoyed working with the students and talking about their antics.

She had many interests in her life, and just as one waned she picked up another. She enjoyed bowling and was still in a league into her 80s. Her children and grandchildren were the recipients of a variety of crafts including crochet, tatting, coasters, Barbie furniture and nativity scenes made of cross stitch on plastic weave. She loved spending time with family, jigsaw puzzles (both physical and electronic), reading, travel, and playing Bunco with her buddies.

She is remembered fondly for her spirit of adventure, always eager to try new things whether walking in fog so dense you could hardly see, flying overseas for the first time ever all by herself when she was 65, or just seeing a new movie—any movie at all!

Mary made friends easily and could strike up a conversation with anyone. Whether it was the staff at the Hy-Vee pharmacy, her good friends at the building in which she lived, or her crew at the cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation sessions, they all said the same thing, “We just love her—she is a lot of fun!”

This spring she traveled by herself on a plane to Phoenix to visit her daughter, granddaughter and great grandsons. She had a wonderful time, but she couldn’t stop talking about her upcoming 90th birthday party and meeting her newest great grandson, Liam. She enjoyed both of those events tremendously.

Family who celebrate Mary’s life are her children, Katherine Hugen, Marilyn Rich, Barb (Forrest) Corson, Chuck (Holly) Rich, Julie (Joe) Seidlin, and Christine (Tim) Rodgers; grandchildren, Randy (July) Hugen, Kathy (Henry) Melcher, Amanda (Cory) Long, Elizabeth (Manuel López) Corson, Joshua Rodgers, Stephen (Cheryl) Rodgers, Lena (Teague) Ribbey, Taylor Rich, Henry Seidlin, Ashley (Steve) Bryant, Grace (Austin) Cisna, Jonathan Rich, Sarah Rich, and Daniel Rich; great- grandchildren, Keira, Lily, Blake, Cade, Avia, Walter, Franklin, and Liam; and siblings, Mike Platt, Rose Sprout, and Sister Mary Herman Platt.

She was preceded in death by daughters, Margaret and Lucy, parents, and siblings, Frances Platt, Matt Platt, Martha Leek, Leo Platt, Herman Platt, and Clem Platt.

Mary was loved by all of her family and friends and will be missed.

Memorial contributions may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Meals on Wheels.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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