Marie Bertha (Smits) Albers, 91, of DePere passed away peacefully on May 14, 2018 surrounded by her loving and appreciative family. Her rich and loving life on earth began December 10, 1926, the 4th of 12 children to the late George and Martha (Vander Heiden) Smits. On August 27, 1949 at DePere's Saint Mary's Church Marie married Ambrose (Sam) Albers and in their union raised 7 children. Her beloved Ambrose preceded her in death on March 2, 1999 after 49 years of marriage. Marie's interests throughout life revolved around family, volunteering, and sports. Marie entered the workforce at an early age. Her first real job started at Ford's Bakery in De Pere which ignited her baking skills throughout her life including filling Christmas tins each year for family and friends. Many close to the family will remember Marie for her bread-making and baking ability and for her willingness to bring the Dessert whenever the family gathered together. In later years her imagination spread to ceramics where her many pieces fired in her basement kiln are cherished keepsakes, non more important than the twenty-seven sets of nineteen nativity scene figures she made sure every child and grandchild possessed. Also cherished are her Christmas stockings that will adorn fireplace mantels in the family for years to come. Marie's parents taught her entire family to be involved and to help people whenever and wherever you can. At age 16 she helped organize the CYO club at her parish, St Mary's in DePere. Marie was also a Girl Scout leader and taught baking to 4-H members. When it came to sports it was difficult to pick which was her favorite. During her teen years she could often be found on summer weekends pitching for her softball team. She was a big fan of the Brewers throughout her life, watching or listening to most games. Bowling is the sport that would see her name in the paper. She bowled numerous 600 series and in 1955 won the Green Bay Press Gazette Women's Bowling Championship as a young mother of three boys. Marie loved every kind of card game especially when playing with her grandchildren and was very adept at playing bridge, all the way up to her final days. Marie's work career started as a way to pay off her son's tuition bill at Abbot Pennings High School and turned into a twenty-three year career keeping the school spotless. Many of her friendships with faculty and students today were formed from her years at Abbot Pennings. Following "Pennings" closing she was invited to Notre Dame de la Baie Academy where she worked an additional five years. Her daily life is embodied in the simple words she used when signing the many birthday, anniversary and holiday cards she sent to family; "God loves you and so do I." Surviving Marie are her seven children, Gary (Julie), Sylvania, Ohio, Jim (Laurie), DePere, Bob (Cindy), Lakeland, Florida, Terri (Ed) Castelic, DePere, Rick (Mary) Windsor, Ontario, Pat (Karen), North Plainfield, New Jersey, Steve (Candie), DePere, nineteen grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren; two sisters Mary Jane (Don) Van Remortel, and Dorothy Allcox; two brothers Clayton (Rose), and Kenneth (Sally); sisters in law Ruth Smits, Barbara Smits, and Joan Smits. Marie was preceded in death by her parents, sister Bertha Kaczmierczak, six brothers: George Jr., Henry, Donald, Jerome, Robert, Richard, and in-laws Phyllis Smits, Mary Lou Smits, Don Baeten, Tom Kaczmierczak, and Tom Allcox. Family and friends may visit Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, De Pere from 4:00PM – 7:00PM Friday May 18, 2018. Visitation will continue after 9:00AM Saturday at the church, until the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30AM with the Rev. James Baraniak O.Praem.officiating, Entombment in the Allouez Catholic Mausoleum. . Online condolences at www.ryanfh.com. RYAN FUNERAL HOME, De Pere is assisting the family. The family extends a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Allouez Parkside Village