Maria Elisabeth Ossmann died in Sanford, Florida on December 27, 2023. Maria was born on July 13, 1936 in Frankenstein, Silesia (now Wroclaw, Poland) to Paul and Emma Weniger.
Her father delivered goods in a cart and horse in the area and her mother was kept busy with Maria and her brothers, Heinz, Peter and Bernard, all of whom predeceased Maria. Maria’s father died when she was five and the remainder of the family became refugees to Lower Bavaria, Germany after World War II. Germany was devastated at this time, so Maria became a domestic at age 14.
Eventually she made her way to London to study nursing. It was there that met her husband, John H. McFarlane (deceased). After a few years she and John emigrated to Connecticut where John was an engineer at Sikorsky Aircraft. In her long life Maria has worn various hats: real estate agent, acupuncturist, health food store clerk, and home health aid to name a few. Her travels took her to China, Alaska, Poland, Africa, and Europe. She was loved by many, being a very positive person with a can-do attitude.
She is survived by three daughters, Caroline Beckenhaupt, Ingrid DeAngelis, and Geraldine R. McFarlane; three grandchildren, Diana L Beckenhaupt, David Beckenhaupt, and Molly Beckenhaupt.