Mary Ellen Coburn

Mary Ellen Carlson Coburn passed away Thursday, May 29, 2025, after a sudden illness. At the moment of her passing, she was covered in love from her family by her side and on the phone as she met her daughter, Kari, in God's Kingdom. Mary’s life calling was as an educator, having a special talent for supporting students with special needs using a customized approach to learning school material and life skills. Her devotion to students and co-educators spanned 30+ years at Courtney Christian School, Hammond Westside Upper School, O.W. Dillion Elementary, Lutcher High School, Alma Center High School, and Melrose-Mindoro High School. Her talents for teaching extended far beyond the classroom as a private tutor, 4-H parent leader, homeschool mentor, and developing openly shared teaching materials. Mary married Chuck in 1971 and founded CharMar-Vu Holsteins with farming locations in Northwestern Wisconsin during the 1970’s. They continued to raise registered Holsteins while living in Perryville, KY and Wetumpka, AL. Mary and family returned to milking cows in 1991 at Aztec Dairy of Montezuma, GA until moving to Amite, LA in 2002. During the years spent in Alabama and Georgia, she established herself as one of the dairy industry’s largest publishers of farm sale catalogs and state/regional breed association magazines. In this family business environment, Mary instilled in her children a hard work ethic, a love for seeking new skills, and a commitment to family and community. Shriners Children’s Hospital was a cause close to Mary’s heart, having directly benefited from their charitable impact with multiple years of medical care provided to son, Travis, following a vehicle accident at three years of age. In recent years, Mary was First Lady of Acacia Shriners and volunteered at countless Shriner events in Louisiana and nationally. Mary is survived by husband, Chuck; children Angie Coburn, Shawano, WI; Travis Coburn; Shawano, WI; Carla Taylor (Bradley) and grandsons, Lee, Carl and Holden, Booneville, MS. She is further survived by her mother Barbara Meeker, Augusta, WI; mother-in-law Delores Coburn, Pigeon Falls, WI; siblings Paul (Carmen) Carlson, Wakeman, OH; Sue (Jerre) Zimmerman, Eau Claire, WI; and Nancy Buse, Augusta, WI; in-laws Mary Beth (Arne) Fremstad; Jay Coburn, Whitehall, WI; Paul (Tammie) Coburn, Whitehall, WI; Linda Gunderson, Blair, WI; and John Coburn, Newport, TN; along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Mary is preceded in death, by daughter Kari Coburn; father Mervin Carlson; stepfather Stan Meeker; father-in-law Frank Coburn; in-laws Jim Buse, Larry Gunderson, Dawn Coburn; and nephews Eric Zimmerman and Neil Coburn. The family is profoundly thankful for the grace, dignity, and compassion shown by the incredibly talented ICU team at Ochsner Medical and the support and care from Anna Stogner, Greg Leyer and Kyle King of CenterWell Home Health. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to a Visitation at Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home, 12012 Hwy 190 W., Hammond, LA. on Friday, June 6, 2025 starting at 3:00 p.m. until the start of the Memorial Service at 6:30 p.m. Pastor Darryl Miller will officiate. Family and friends will be received for a casual lunch at the Amite City Masonic Lodge on Saturday, June 7th 11:30 am – 2:00 pm. Additionally, a Celebration of Life will be held in Augusta, Wisconsin at a date to be determined this Summer 2025. Memorial contributions can be made to Courtney Christian School, 121 Robin Hood Drive, Hammond, LA 70403 and Shriners Children’s Shreveport Office of Philanthropy, 3100 Samford Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71103

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Mary Ellen Coburn

September 23, 1952 - May 29, 2025