Maris L. Gumtow

Maris Lee (Marcus) Gumtow, age 84, a former longtime resident of Howards Grove, passed away peacefully on October 24, 2025 surrounded by family.

Maris was born April 11, 1941 to the late Henry and Annette Marcus. Maris was a member of the Job’s Daughters and the Queen of Job’s Daughters at age 17. She graduated from Sheboygan Central High School in 1959. At 18, she married the love of her life, Gene, and started a family. As a little girl all she ever wanted was to be a mom and she was the best mom ever. For many years she devoted her life to being a stay-at-home mom and took pride in raising her children, even when that meant sacrificing and doing without. She had a heart of gold and would do anything for her children. She would save money any way she could. Everything had to be either handmade or homemade. She was a great seamstress and could sew anything from patching up our jeans, to making snowmobile suits, dresses, shirts, and pants for her husband and children.

She had the biggest heart and always cared and loved so deeply. She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She cherished every moment spent making memories with her loved ones, especially family gatherings at their home. She was an excellent cook and every family birthday involved her famous crazy cake. Every summer fry out meant we would have her yummy baked beans and fruit salad. Thanksgivings we would enjoy the best meal ever, including her delicious dressing. Canning was another way to save money and spend extra quality time with her favorite Auntie Em. Every year our family had a huge garden, which also meant most of our fruits and vegetables were canned or frozen. It was a lot of work, but we always had an ample supply of the best homemade freezer jelly, applesauce, pickles, beets, corn, green beans, tomatoes, etc.

As her children got older, she decided to take up a new passion by writing local articles for The Plymouth Review. Every story she wrote was meticulously written about and brought joy to the locals and the local business owners. One of her stories can still be seen framed and hanging up in the entrance at Log Cabin Restaurant in Howards Grove. She was also a bartender at Klemme’s Lanes in Howards Grove where she had fun getting to know her customers.

In her 50’s, her and her husband Gene bought a small 12 customer bingo supply business and turned it into a 150+ customer business by treating their customers right. Many wonderful family memories were made at the cottage on Wolf Lake in St Cloud, including their annual 4th of July party.

The devastating and tragic loss of their daughter Rebecca in 2008 was almost more than she could handle. Maris took great pride in raising funds to start a scholarship fund at Colorado State University in Rebecca’s name, which is still awarded to students annually.

In April of 2025 Gene and Maris celebrated an incredible 66 years of marriage.

Going to Oneida to play bingo, playing bridge, sheepshead, cribbage, live concerts, traveling, reading, and knitting were some of her favorite hobbies with many friends she made along the way. She knit and donated lap blankets and hats for cancer patients, nursing home residents, newborns, for Mary’s Room, and her family. Maris enjoyed attending many concerts over the years including The Eagles, Alabama, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, and her new favorite Brent Bel. For the last 2 years Gene showed his true love for her by taking her to Oneida on Sundays.

She always looked forward to shopping days with her daughter Sherryl. They loved to be together because they were two peas in a pod. They could be silly, sing and dance in the car, and laugh the whole while they hung out together.

She is survived by her husband, Gene of Sheboygan Falls; her children, David (Michelle) Gumtow of Amberg, Jon (Liz) Gumtow of Neenah, Sherryl (Mark) Herr of Elkhart Lake; five grandchildren, Josh (Jeanna) Gumtow, Jared Gumtow, Jenny Gumtow (Kim Grunewald), Bradley Gumtow, Andrew Gumtow; seven great grandchildren, Peyton, Brayden, Lauren, Jasmine, Emma, Zander, and Brenna; two brothers-in-law, Dan Gumtow (Sharon Bub) and Roger (Carol) Gumtow; one sister-in-law, Cathy Newago; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son Steven, her daughter Rebecca Gumtow Allen, her parents, her in-law’s, her brother Larry Marcus, her sister Sandra Booth, and many other family and friends.

A Celebration of Life for Maris will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Zimmer Westview, W2132 Garton Road in Howards Grove, from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Maris’s name.

Maris will forever be loved, cherished, and missed by all who knew her.