Therese Maass

Therese A. Maass, passed through the veil from this mortal life on Friday, April 26, 2024, at the age of 81.

She was known as one who loved everyone she met. She had a ready smile, a great laugh, and loved cooking for others. She was especially open to promptings to serve others and would often say things like, “We need to take some cookies over to sister so-and-so” or “We should take a loaf of bread over to our new neighbors across the street.” She loved mailing cheap elementary school valentines out to a long list of friends and acquaintances.

She was born to Bernard and Agnes (Zawadzki) Pogodzinski on August 23, 1942, in Owen, Wisconsin, where her parents had a small family farm. She attended the Owen public elementary school, went to 7th and 8th grades in the Catholic school, spent what would have been her 9th grade year as a postulate in the Convent of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, which she found not to be a good fit, and graduated from the Owen-Withee High School in 1960.

Upon graduation, she married Gerald E. Maass of Greenwood, Wisconsin. Shortly after they were married, Jerry served for three years in the U.S. Army, and Therese was able to be with him where he was posted in Texas. Back in Wisconsin, they raised three children, Patrick, born in 1965, Deanna in 1966, and Suzanna in 1971. Therese said she never wanted to be anything but a wife and mother, and she was very good at her chosen occupations. Although, at times she found it necessary to work part-time outside the home to supplement their income.

In 1978, the family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A year later they were sealed as a family for time and all eternity in the Washington D.C. Temple. Around this time they met Brian Martz at district Church activities, and the Maass and Martz families became friends.

Therese served in the Young Women, Primary, Sunday School and Relief Society organizations of the Church. Her husband Jerry died of cancer in 1993, after which she sold their house and served a one-year mission as an ordinance worker in the Chicago Illinois Temple. After her mission she lived in the Marshfield, Wisconsin, area for a number of years, where she met Derek Ison, a British ex-patriot, who had served in the U.S. Army. They were married in 1998. He died, also of cancer, in 2008, after which she served a two-year mission in the Church History Library in Salt Lake City. After that mission she lived in Gresham, Wisconsin, near her daughter Suzanna and her family.

In 2016, she and Brian Martz, a good friend of 40-plus years, who was also widowed, were married and lived in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. They moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho, in November of 2022, hoping her arthritis wouldn’t bother her as much in Idaho, which it didn’t, and to be near her daughter Suzanna’s family, now in Rexburg, Idaho, and her son Patrick’s family in the Salt Lake Valley. Soon after their move Therese and Brian began serving as ordinance workers in the Idaho Falls Temple. Therese said that was her favorite calling ever. They had eight wonderful, happy years together, a blessing which neither of them expected so late in their lives.

Therese is survived by her husband Brian Martz; son, Patrick (Amelia) Maass; daughters, Deanna (Miguel) Adriano, and Suzanna (David) Lau; brothers, Victor, Anthony, Frank (Connie), and Thomas (Betsy) Pogodzinski; sister, Susan (Gerry) Gambetta; ten grandchildren and two and a half great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Bernard and Agnes Pogodzinski; her husbands, Gerald Maass and Derek Ison; sister, Lillian (Frank) Friedenfels; and brothers, Jerome and James.

A celebration of life will be held in her honor at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at the Parkwood Ward Chapel (395 2nd Street, Idaho Falls). The family will meet with friends from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service. Another celebration of life will be held in her honor at 11:00 a.m. Saturday May 18, 2024, at the Stevens Point Ward Chapel in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The family will visit with friends from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service and her burial will follow the service. She will be buried in Wisconsin, next to her first husband, Jerry.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to either Humanitarian Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or to Feeding America.