Mary P. Mikrut

Mary Patricia Mikrut, 86, of Winona, MN, died on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, in kind support of Winona Hospice and the caring team at Brookdale Assisted Living. Mary was born on St. Joseph Day, March 19, 1939, in Winona, MN, the second child of three to John B. and Margaret K. (Leverson) Lauer.

Mary grew up swinging on her parent’s front porch bench swing and playing on the St. Teresa College campus as the Lauer home stood across the street from the college’s Tea House. Her childhood neighborhood was filled with her Aunt Jean (Leverson) and Uncle Leo “Buster” Smith’s seven children, allowing constant activity with cousins for Mary, her older brother Bud, and younger sister Katherine.

Mary attended Jefferson Elementary and participated in Girl Scouts. She graduated from Winona High School in 1957, where she was involved in basketball and swimming. Her large band of girlfriends had great fun over the years. A survivor of childhood rheumatic fever, Mary had a laugh larger than most and signature red lipstick that never left her pocketbook.

She married Ronald D. Bartz after high school and they had five children together, Thomas “Tom” Bartz, Cindi (Bartz) White, Robert “Bob” Bartz, James “Jim” Bartz, and John Bartz. In the early years of marriage, the couple owned a tavern in Dakota, MN. They divorced and Mary lived in Winona on Clarks Lane for many years.

Later in life, Mary became the wife of Robert “Bob” Mikrut. Soon after, Bob developed an illness and Mary cared for him prior to his passing. The couple enjoyed entertaining at their home near Pickwick, MN during their all too short years together. She returned to the Winona area, eventually making a home at Brookdale Assisted Living, where she received long-term care for the past decade.

Mary is survived by her devoted sister, Katherine (Lauer) Krage, who has been by her side for life; her son Tom (Darlene) and his children Jacquelyn, Jessica and Nathan and grandchildren Cooper, Alex, Cole, Vincent, Nico and Noelle; son Bob and his children Emily and Coco; daughter Cindi (Steve) and her children Mia, Natasha, Somer and Ron as well as grandchildren Maddy, Makayla, Boston and Marlow; and son Jim and his sons Sam and Canaan. Mary is also survived by the extension of those listed, as well as the families of her Lauer and Krage nieces and nephews.

Mary is preceded in death by her father and mother John and Margaret Lauer, her brother and sister-in-law Bud and Jan Lauer, her later-life spouse Bob Mikrut, her first husband Ron Bartz and son John Howard Bartz.

Visitation will be held at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Winona on Monday, December 1, 2025, from 10 AM until the Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM. The Very Reverend Patrick Arens will officiate. Mary will be laid to rest privately at St. Mary’s Cemetery.

The family wishes to thank Mary’s care team, including the staff at Brookdale, for their devotion to helping Mary over the years as well as that of the St. Stan’s and St. John’s community.

Memorials are welcome in Mary’s name to Winona Health Hospice.

Online condolences or memories may be left for Mary’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com