Mary Lou Girardi

Dec 14, 1931 - Nov 23, 2015

Mary Lou Girardi lost her courageous ten-year battle with lymphoma on Monday, November 23, 2015.  At the time of her death, she was surrounded by her husband and five children.  She was a compassionate woman, loving mother and devoted wife.  As a woman of faith, she was an active parishioner of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and enjoyed participating in bible study classes.

Mary Lou was born on December 14, 1931 in Nisland, South Dakota and was raised on a farm in Arpan, South Dakota.   She graduated from Spearfish High School and attended Black Hills State College in Spearfish, South Dakota.   She met her future husband at a basketball game and married Charles Anton Girardi on July 27, 1953.   They began their married life in Belle Fourche, South Dakota and lived in Fresno, California before moving to Merced in 1976.

She worked for many years as the division secretary in the Merced College PE & Athletic Division.  Mary Lou was a member of the Merced County Genealogical Society and over many years compiled a rich and thorough record of family history, which was greatly appreciated by immediate and extended family.

Mary Lou is survived by her loving husband Charles, children Cindy Ferdinandi, Cathy (husband Mark Elchinoff), Janelle (husband Skip Niebauer), Guido (wife Lourdes) and Mike (wife Cristi).   Mary Lou was a doting grandmother to Michael, Stephen, Alexa, Austin, Frank, Xavier and Sabrina.  She is survived by siblings Marc Comes, Jerry Comes, and Janet Hensley.  Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents, and siblings Andy Comes, Elaine Uttermark, and Marcy Goggin.

Visitation will be on Friday, December 4 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home.  A rosary is scheduled for 8:30 am on Saturday, December 5 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Merced; mass will follow the rosary at 9:00 am.  Burial will be at Black Hills National Cemetery in South Dakota.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary Lou Girardi's name to the Lymphoma Society at lls.org or to Hinds Hospice in Merced.