Mari M. Ginsbach

Mari Ginsbach of Dell Rapids, SD passed away peacefully, Saturday, November 23, 2024 at Sanford Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD; surrounded by her family. Her Memorial Mass will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 27, 2024 in St. Mary Catholic Church, Dell Rapids. Visitation will be two hours prior to the start of mass in the church.

Mari Margaret Baum was born to Robert and Loraine Baum in Chicago, IL on August 26, 1952. She was the second of six children.

The family moved to rural Dell Rapids in August 1969. Mari graduated from St. Mary High school in 1970. That same year she met the love of her life Paul Ginsbach. They married in April 1971 and began their life together on the Ginsbach family farm West of Dell Rapids.

Mari spent most of her adult life as a farm wife raising their children. She briefly worked outside the home for a few years but always came back to caring for others. She became caregiver to her Aunt Marilyn and a few years later to her mother, those being her favorite “jobs”. She loved caring for people and animals. She rescued many baby birds, bunnies, squirrels, kittens and even puppies. There wasn’t a lost or injured animal that she wouldn’t take in and rescue. She even talked Paul into keeping a calf that was blind as a pet for many years. Her favorite saint was St. Francis of Assisi and her children all knew her love of animals.

As Mari grew older, her passion for birds took hold and she spent hours on her patio watching the birds in her backyard. It was common to see a variety of birds come right up to the patio to enjoy the seeds, jelly and Mari’s company.

She and Paul were also foster parents for many years. Caring for every child and infant as her own until they could be adopted or go back to their home. She never thought of them as “foster” children; they were just her children, even if only for a brief time.

Helping others was a theme in Mari’s life. She along with her sister-in-law, Carol were the driving forces behind Padre’s Second Chance Emporium, located in the basement of St. Mary convent, now known to the Dell Rapids Community as Padre’s. She also was involved with Carol and others as they worked on establishing the Mother’s Healing Garden located in the Dell Rapids Cemetery. Their shared grief in the loss of their children was their motivation to create a place for others to go to find peace and comfort.

Mari is survived by her husband of 53 years Paul, her four children, Joni (David) Griebel of Dell Rapids, Kendra (Anthony) Siemonsma of Sioux Falls, Nathan (Jill) Ginsbach of Sioux Falls, Samantha (Derek) Davis of Dell Rapids; her ten grandchildren Megan, Brayden (Kiya) , Elijah (Katie), Fallon, Zayda, Jaxon (Audrey), Kaedan, Emmanuel, Westyn and Maxwell; and two great-granddaughters Oaklee & Blakely; her brothers Bob “Bobbert” (Carol) Baum Jr, Don “Donaldo” (Kim) Baum, Marty “Tart” (Tracy) Baum, Carl “Bott” (Shelli) Baum and sister Anne “Annie” (Gordon Fossum) Douglas; along with many nieces, nephews and her sisters and brothers-in-law.

Mari is preceded in death by her daughter Megan Nicole, her nephew,Jeremy Baum, her parents, grandparents, aunt & her mother and father-in-law.

The service will be live-streamed at https://www.facebook.com/KahlerFuneralHome starting five minutes before the start of the service.

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