Elizabeth V. Maus

Elizabeth V. “Ginny” (O’Bocki) Maus passed away on September 5, 2023 surrounded by family. 

She was born on August 14, 1931 in Norwood, Massachusetts, the only child to John and Elizabeth “Betty” O’Bocki. She grew up in Walpole and Westwood, Massachusetts. Her love of dancing started at age 3, when she started tap dance and ballet lessons. By her early teens, she was accomplished on toe shoes, and tap danced well into her 60s for church variety shows.

She graduated from Westwood High School in 1949, went on to Chamberlain School of Retail in Boston and obtained a degree in retailing. In high school, she waitressed at a local coffee shop, where she caught the eye of Francis “Bud” Maus who would stop in for a cup of coffee on his way into the city of Boston for night school. Bud was also in her dad’s bowling league, so he asked her dad if it would be okay to ask her out.

Together, they enjoyed many family gatherings at Bud’s family lake home in Lakeville, Massachusetts. It was there that Bud asked her to be his wife. They were married on May 2, 1953, at St. Denis Catholic Church where Ginny was a founding member. Ginny and Bud were blessed with eight children.

She was a homemaker and made it to every event in her children’s lives and was never bothered by the craziness of raising eight kids.  She was devout in her catholic faith and shared these values with her children.  She was an amazing role model as a mother, wife and daughter.

On December 15, 1976, Bud, the only man she ever loved, passed away suddenly. She took on the task of raising the last five children on her own. She began working at the Carter Clothing Company in the bookkeeping/payroll department until she became the secretary at the Hanlon Elementary School in Westwood, Massachusetts. This job fit perfectly with her love of children. She retired from the Westwood Schools in January of 1998.

She loved traveling after retirement. She traveled to the Holy Land, Rome, Oberammergau (Germany), Vienna, the Canadian Rockies, and Bermuda, as well as all across the USA.

In October 2003, she picked up her roots, and moved to Billings, Montana to be closer to the majority of her grandchildren, where she enjoyed gardening in the spring, but still returned to her Lakeville cottage in Massachusetts every summer.

On February 2, 2021, her oldest daughter and best friend, Peggy, passed away unexpectedly, and three days later, Ginny fell and broke her pelvis and back. She worked hard to get back to a level of independence and was able to fly back to Boston in July 2021 to attend a memorial for Peggy, and to celebrate her 90th birthday with all her family.

Ginny is preceded in death by her parents, John and Betty O’Bocki; her husband, Bud Maus; daughter, Margaret “Peggy” Marsh; and her son-in-law, Steve Treece.

She is survived by seven of her children, Virginia Treece of Sun City, Arizona; Francis Maus of Missoula, Montana; David Maus of Windsor, Connecticut; Elizabeth (James) Ross of Billings, Montana; Gary (Debbie) Maus of Brookfield, Massachusetts; Daniel (Nancy) Maus of Westwood, Massachusetts; and James (Michelle) Maus of Helena, Montana.  She is also survived by her son-in-law, Dennis Marsh, 15 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Visitation in the Holden, Dunn and Lawler Funeral Home, 55 High Rock St., Westwood on Saturday, October 7^th from 9am – 10:30am.  Following the Visitation, a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Denis Church, 157 Washington St., Westwood at 11am.  Interment at Old Westwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Catholic Foundation of Eastern Montana (www.catholicfoundationmt.org) or a children’s charity of your choice.