Mary Marie (Hightower) Hedges-Winkelmann

Hedges - Winkelmann, Mary Marie (nee Hightower), baptized into the hope of Christ's resurrection, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Beloved wife of the late Paul Winkelmann, the late Vern Hedges and the late John Robert Harris. Dear mother of John (Carol) Harris II and Steven (Caroline and the late Melodye) Harris. Grandmother of John Robert (Lisa) Harris III, James (Jillian) Harris, Jennifer Jarosz, Micheal Harris, Marcus Harris, Ronald Todd (Rebbeca) Harris and Keelyn Nicole (Dan) Schwegel. Great grandmother of 10 and the late Trevor Harris. Mary was 93. She grew up on a farm in southern Indiana, that had no electric nor plumbing. When she graduated the 8th grade, she had to go live with her sister so that she could attend high school at the Petersburg High. In 1943, she graduated from high school and went to work at the Republic Aircraft Company in Evansville, Indiana building P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. In the 50's she started working for Sears as a clerk in the accounting department. Somehow, she got the Sears Management to let her try selling vacuum cleaners. This was a "man's" job and she was not welcome. She worked extra hard and became their leading salesman. When Chrysler moved to St. Louis, she managed to get a temporary position as vacuum cleaner salesman. She was not wanted in this man's department either at then new Crestwood Shopping Center. She went on became not only the top salesman at Crestwood but also the leading salesman in the St. Louis region. She set sales record after sales record and resulted in other women being hired to sell vacuum cleaners all over the United States. She lost her husband in 1969 to a heart attack and continued to work. She later started going with her former boss Paul Winkelmann who was the love of her life and they had 38 years together. Mary loved watching and feeding the wild animals in her yard. Please say a prayer for this remarkable woman. Services: Funeral from the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, Friday, 10:45 a.m. to St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, Ellisville for 11:00 a.m. Mass. Visitation Thursday 4-8 p.m. Graveside service at Atkinson Chapel Cemetery, Oatsville, IN Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 1 p.m. (CDT). In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church or St. Louis Children's Hospital.

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