Rassi, Mary Ann Yergler
1933-
Mary Ann was born in Cissna Park, Illinois on November 28, 1933 to William and Esther Yergler. She spent her childhood on the farm and attended Cissna Park schools. While a senior in high school, she was baptized in the Apostolic Christian church, and on August 31, 1952, at age 18, she married Lowell (known as Buss) Rassi from Milford, Indiana.
When leaving their wedding reception, Buss remembered he left his camera with a friend who was taking pictures at the reception. He decided to turn around and get the camera, as they wanted to use it on their honeymoon. Then Mary Ann realized she had not said goodbye to her mother, so she was glad to be able to do so. When they returned to her parent’s home after a two-week trip, her father met them with the words, “Your mother died yesterday.” Esther’s funeral took place a few days later. Mary Ann shared how thankful she was that the Lord had caused them to remember the camera, so that she had that opportunity to tell her mother—though she didn’t know it at the time—a final goodbye.
One day, as a young mother, Mary Ann received a visit from Henry Beer, a Brother from Milford who was working on compiling/revising the church’s hymnbooks. In his hands were a bouquet of flowers (he owned and operated a nursery and florist shop) and a number of poems he wanted put to music. He knew she played piano, so he expected she would also be able to compose hymns. Though she had never attempted anything of the sort before, she agreed to try. As she went about her housework and cared for her little ones, a tune would come to her mind, and she would hasten to the piano and write it down. When Henry came back to pick up the songs, he asked her to play them for him on the piano.
At Bro. Henry’s request, Mary Ann composed music for several hymns in the 1958 edition of Zion’s Harp, two of which are used in the 2000 edition. She also composed ten hymns for Hymns of Zion, including the favorites #207 “Creation” and #36 “The Babe of Bethlehem”. In the Hymns of Zion her initials, M.Y.R., mark her hymns. Interestingly, Mary Ann is the great-granddaughter of G.M. Mangold, and composed the music for one of his hymns, #32 “Who Shall Abide?”
Mary Ann was born in Cissna Park, Illinois on November 28, 1933 to William and Esther Yergler. She spent her childhood on the farm and attended Cissna Park schools. While a senior in high school, she was baptized in the Apostolic Christian church, and on August 31, 1952, at age 18, she married Lowell (known as Buss) Rassi from Milford, Indiana.
When leaving their wedding reception, Buss remembered he left his camera with a friend who was taking pictures at the reception. He decided to turn around and get the camera, as they wanted to use it on their honeymoon. Then Mary Ann realized she had not said goodbye to her mother, so she was glad to be able to do so. When they returned to her parent’s home after a two-week trip, her father met them with the words, “Your mother died yesterday.” Esther’s funeral took place a few days later. Mary Ann shared how thankful she was that the Lord had caused them to remember the camera, so that she had that opportunity to tell her mother—though she didn’t know it at the time—a final goodbye.
One day, as a young mother, Mary Ann received a visit from Henry Beer, a Brother from Milford who was working on compiling/revising the church’s hymnbooks. In his hands were a bouquet of flowers (he owned and operated a nursery and florist shop) and a number of poems he wanted put to music. He knew she played piano, so he expected she would also be able to compose hymns. Though she had never attempted anything of the sort before, she agreed to try. As she went about her housework and cared for her little ones, a tune would come to her mind, and she would hasten to the piano and write it down. When Henry came back to pick up the songs, he asked her to play them for him on the piano.
At Bro. Henry’s request, Mary Ann composed music for several hymns in the 1958 edition of Zion’s Harp, two of which are used in the 2000 edition. She also composed ten hymns for Hymns of Zion, including the favorites #207 “Creation” and #36 “The Babe of Bethlehem”. In the Hymns of Zion her initials, M.Y.R., mark her hymns. Interestingly, Mary Ann is the great-granddaughter of G.M. Mangold, and composed the music for one of his hymns, #32 “Who Shall Abide?”