Mary E. Leibfried, age 86, of rural Hazel Green, WI, passed away on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at Unity Point-Finley Hospital in Dubuque, IA, surrounded by her family.

Mary was born on June 17, 1940, and grew up on her family’s farm near Lancaster, WI, the daughter of Leo and Vera (Vespermann) Muldoon. After graduating from high school, she attended Bayless Business College in Dubuque, IA, where she trained for a career as a secretary.

Following college, Mary began working as a secretary at John Deere Dubuque Works. It was there that she met her future husband, William Leibfried. William (Bill) worked in the factory but occasionally helped with janitorial duties, which included collecting the trash from the office where Mary worked. Somewhere along the way, those trips through the office led to friendship and more. Mary and Bill were married in 1967.

Mary and Bill welcomed three children, Greg, Gayle, and Linda. Mary worked at John Deere until Linda was born; she then chose to focus on raising their family in a home they built in southwest Wisconsin, near Hazel Green.

Above all, Mary will be remembered for the life she built around the people she loved. She found happiness not in possessions or accomplishments, but in family, faith, good health, and time spent together. Those values became her legacy, carried forward by the children and family she loved so dearly.

Mary was a member of St. Joseph Parish at Sinsinawa, WI, and its Council of Catholic Women.

Mary is survived by her devoted husband, William, her children, Greg (Lori) Kuhlmann-Leibfried, Gayle (Shane) Stibbe, and Linda (Micah) Droessler; her grandchildren, Ella, Blake, and Breanna; her brother, Mark (Diane) Muldoon, and her sister, Beverly (Floyd) Ihm.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leo and Vera, and her brother, Jack Muldoon.

Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Friday, October 2, 2026, at the Miller Funeral Home in East Dubuque, IL, and from 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. on Saturday at St. Joseph Church at Sinsinawa, where the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, with Fr. Joseph Bellamkonda and Fr. Peter Auer concelebrating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.millerfhed.com©