Mary Louise Emrich

Mary Louise Emrich was born September 28, 1937 in Evanston, Illinois, just outside of Chicago.  Her father, Milton Emrich, was an investment banker, and her mother, Louise Emrich (nee Clabaugh), was a homemaker and devoted community volunteer.  Mary Lou enjoyed a home life that included two siblings and many of the normal happenstances that made for a typical mid-American upbringing in Chicago’s north side. 

Upon graduating from high school, Mary Lou attended Smith College in North Hampton, Massachusetts, where she received a degree in English.  Returning to the Chicago area, Mary Lou taught elementary school.  In the midst of her teaching she met Dave Kapple through mutual friends, and they later married on June 23, 1961.  Dave was hired by Young Life, and the two of them headed to Los Angeles to make a home there.  Mary Lou was deeply involved in Young Life as well, and it was in Los Angeles that they had their first child, Jeannie.  A second child, son John, was born three years later, and the family moved to Colorado.

Mary Lou’s work life while in Colorado was quite diversified.  Her experiences included working in Parent Efficiency Training, as a Weight Watchers educator, and as a devoted Activities Director in a retirement facility in Denver.  As a homemaker, she endeavored to balance her domestic responsibilities with work and thus became a life-long devotee of the crock pot.

Later in life, Mary Lou moved to Vermont to help care for her mother, then moved to Chelan upon the birth of her first grandchild.  Chelan was to be her home for twenty years.  During that time, she met her second husband, Frank Gamelin, and they celebrated marriage on July 8, 2012.  They enjoyed a full life together until Frank passed in 2015.  Afterward, Mary Lou continued to be an extremely loyal friend and devoted family and community member.  She will be remembered by many of us for her dependency on sticky notes, her never-ending supply of Altoids, and, of course, her generosity and big heart.  She gave what she could and more, and she was always cognizant of those less fortunate.  She especially wanted to remind us of the sacrifices of our Veterans - making sure she prayed for them each and every Sunday - and what she felt was must-see TV on PBS.  She died early Saturday morning, October 20th surrounded by family and friends.  She is survived by her two siblings, Jean Carr and James Emrich, her daughter, Jeannie Evig Kapple, son John Kapple, and grandchildren Malena and Rowan Evig.