Mary M. Schlangen

Mary Schlangen, age 85, passed away peacefully at Quiet Oaks Hospice House after a long battle with cancer on September 30, 2026. Visitation will be held 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm on Thursday, October 8, 2026, and after 9:30 am on Friday, October 9 at St. Wendelin’s Mary Hall in Luxemburg. Mass will follow at St. Wendelin’s Catholic Church at 10:30 a.m. on Friday. Burial will be private, at a later date, in Calvary Cemetery in Rockville.
Mary was born to the late Leo and Armella (Nistler) Ahles on September 29, 1941. Mary grew up on the family farm in Rockville, Minnesota where she learned early the importance of family, hard work, faith, and making the most of life. She married Thomas Ergen on July 7, 1960, at Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rockville. Sons Scott, Steve and Terry and daughter Laurie were born to this union. Later she married Clifford Schlangen on February 11, 1994.
For many years, Mary worked as a bookkeeper at Zapp Bank. Some of her greatest adventures took her far beyond Minnesota. Mary and her husband, Cliff, traveled to numerous countries on Habitat for Humanity mission trips, including Jamaica, Venezuela, and Guatemala. Her Catholic faith was a guiding force in her life, and she was proud to share that faith through service to others. One of her most treasured honors was carrying the cross in Jerusalem – a memory she held especially close to her heart. Throughout her life, she enjoyed spending time on Pleasant Lake.
Mary was a longtime member of St. Anne’s Christian Mothers, where her faith and friendships continued to be an important part of her life.
If you wanted to see Mary shine, you only need to put her in a room with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They brought her endless joy and countless smiles. She loved watching them grow and simply being together.
Mary is survived by her children Scott (Marlene) Ergen of Rockville, Steve (Tammy) Ergen of Kettle River and Terry (Kathy) Ergen of St. Cloud, Brenda (Randy) Dingmann of St. Cloud, Mike (Joan) Schlangen of St. Cloud; her grandchildren: Katie, Mitchell, Megan, Kim, Jack, Matt, Mary, Jessie, Sam, Molly and Amy and her great-grandchildren: Jackson, Maxwell, Cory, Bella, Andi, Reid, Cooper, Kirbie, Owen and Jonathan.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Thomas Ergen and Clifford Schlangen, infant daughter Laurie Ann Ergen, grandchild Michelle Schlangen, and siblings Duane Ahles, Wanda Middendorf and Allen Ahles.
Thank you to the staff at Assumption Court in Cold Spring and Quiet Oaks for their excellent care for our mother during her illness.