Grosse Pointe News

Sean Cotton, Owner • Anne Gryzenia, Publisher • Jody McVeigh, Editor In Chief • Meg Leonard, Senior Editor

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Mary Lee HermannFree Access


Mary Lee Marshall Scherer Hermann died Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019.

She was the beloved wife of Robert R. Hermann; mother of Robert Pauli Scherer of Aspen, Colo., Lesley Scherer of Laguna Beach, Calif., Stephen Scherer of Newport Beach, Calif. and Mark Scherer (Heather) of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; stepmother of Robert R. Hermann Jr. (Signa) and Lotsie Hermann Holton (Rick), both of St. Louis, Mo. She also is survived by 15 grandchildren and step-grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren and her sister, Sharon Cameron of Atlanta, Ga.

She was predeceased by her sister, Sally Crawford.

Mary Lee was born in Dayton, Ohio, to Robert Dickson Marshall and Leone Schmidt Marshall. Some of her fondest memories were childhood vacations spent at her family’s cottage at Bayview in Petoskey, where she and her sisters spent many happy summers. She was a graduate of New York Phoenix School of Design and was an excellent artist who often quietly gifted portraits to family and friends for special occasions.

She moved to St. Louis from Grosse Pointe in 1980, when she married Bob and quickly became a sought-after community leader and fund raiser, bringing those skills with her from Grosse Pointe where she had chaired and participated in many charitable events. Mary Lee’s love and interest in the arts is legendary, having raised money for a full gamut of the community’s arts, cultural and humanitarian institutions, including the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis Art Museum, Opera Theatre, Grand Center, Missouri Historical Society, The MUNY, Forum for Contemporary Art, The Sheldon, History Museum, Paraquad, Missouri Head Injury Association, Humane Society, the Arts and Education Council and Opera Theatre. For these and other accomplishments, she was honored as a Woman of Achievement in 1996. She served on the board of the St. Louis Science Center from which she received its first chairman’s medal for “…visionary leadership, and exceptional accomplishments which made a lasting impact on the institution.” Along with Bob, she was a recipient of the Cornerstone Award which recognizes “the great involvement and generosity of individuals who contribute to the needs of Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Siteman Cancer Center” and received the St. Andrew’s “Ageless Remarkable St. Louisan” Award in 2012.

Mary Lee was a devoted champion and supporter of her large family and enthusiastically anticipated their visits, especially during the summers when they were able to enjoy time together at the home she and Bob loved in Harbor Springs.

In addition to Mary Lee’s legendary community involvement, she and Bob enjoyed many years traveling worldwide, including several bicycle trips with friends all over Europe. She and Bob were enthusiastic musical theater attendees and rarely missed a performance at The Fox or The MUNY. In addition to her design talent, she was known for being a gracious and hospitable hostess. Her home, where she and Bob enjoyed entertaining both large and small groups of friends, reflected her exquisite taste. She loved playing bridge with dear friends and spending time with her beloved cats, Woofie, Chloe and Jack.

The family extends special acknowledgement and thanks to her exceptional companions and friends who enriched and made her life more enjoyable over the years: Dorothy Hart, Becky Areford, Mark Duquette and Lilie Daves.

No service is planned at this time.

Donations may be made to The Muny, No. 1 Theatre Dr., St. Louis, MO 63112; St. Louis Science Center, 5050 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110; or Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110.