Mary Ellen “Mardi” Spraul
a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away on July 1, 2026. Born December 19, 1937, and raised in South Bend, Indiana, the fourth of five children of Edith and C. J. “Jake” Kline, she attended the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she was set up on a date with Dr. James Spraul. After she graduated with a degree in Business Administration, they married and raised four children in Cincinnati, Huntsville, Alabama, and Baton Rouge before settling in St. Louis, Missouri.
Mardi’s Catholic faith was important to her, and she was an active participant in each of her parishes. In addition to providing a loving home for her family, Mardi enjoyed playing bridge, sewing, and gardening, surrounding herself with carefully nurtured trees, plants, and flowers. Friends and neighbors were always welcome in her home. However, exasperated by freshly baked cookies disappearing, Mardi instituted the “Three Cookie Rule” that still slows her children’s cookie consumption to this day!
Predeceased by Jim in 1988, she adapted to life as a widow, continuing to nurture her children (and later grandchildren), working as an accountant, volunteering at her parish, and developing a new social circle. She enjoyed spending time with her family, attending theater and symphony performances, playing bridge, volunteering, and travelling. She participated in pilgrimages to Lourdes, Fatima, and Our Lady of the Pillar in Spain, and travelled extensively to places from Hong Kong to Europe.
Mardi relocated to Effingham, Illinois in 2015, where she enjoyed living on a beautiful lake, relishing visits from deer, fox, chipmunks, and groundhogs.
Her final years were spent in Houston, Texas where she found a new community at Belmont Village, West University.
Mardi is survived by her children Ellen (James) Ginty, Susan Spraul (Gregg Zive), Joseph (Carolyn) Spraul, and Michael (Shanna) Spraul; grandchildren Kathleen (Steve), James (Maddy), Andrew (Caroline), Ellen (Michael), Jake, Madeleine (Harrison), Allison, Charlotte, Olivia, Aislynn and Benedict; great-grandchildren, Mary Grace, Jack, Anne, Abigail, Marguerite, Eleanor, Kenneth, Ella and Margaret; two sisters-in-law, Mernie Smith and Danielle Kline and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family is very grateful to the staff at Belmont Village Senior Living West University for the care that she received during the final years of her life.
Services: A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Our Lady of the Pillar Catholic Church, 401 South Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri 63131, with Visitation beginning at 9:30 am.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Marianist Ministries- Our Lady of Nazareth School Sponsorship, a Catholic Charities in your community, or a charity of your choice.
Condolence(1)-
Kevin C says
July 30, 2026 at 8:47 amJust happened across the sad news of Mrs. Spraul’s passing. Although it has been 30 years since I last had the pleasure of her aquaintance, I remember her as a loving and compassionate mother, as well as possessing a kind and pleasant disposition to all she encountered. Condolences to her family.