Mae Gregersen

Mae Gregersen, 92, of Murphysboro, passed away at 3:53 p.m. Monday, January 29, 2018 at her residence in Murphysboro. Mae was born on May 15, 1925, in Murphysboro, to Ernest Russell and Ethel (Etherton) Russell. When she was a teenager, she was a member of a singing trio called the Three Sharps of Harmony. In high school, they travelled to Chicago and appeared on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour. The trio came in second on the show, to Myron Floren, who came in first. He was an accordionist, who would later become well known on the Lawrence Welk Show. Besides singing with in the trio, she would sing in the choir at church, and later in life would direct the choir. She had worked at Lustour in Murphysboro. She married Charles "Chuck" Gregersen on February 8, 1944, in Murphysboro. Then she and Chuck moved to Lakewood, California, and lived there from 1957 to 1987. She worked in Long Beach, California as a receptionist for a Chiropractic Group. They returned to Murphysboro, and were members of Christ Community Church. Mae sang in the choir for twenty five years. Chuck and Mae were married for seventy years and he preceded her in death on February 7, 2014. She is survived by two children Karen Smith of Murphysboro and Chuck Gregersen and his wife Carol Gregersen of Huntington Beach, CA; three grandchildren Donald Smith of Phoenix, AZ, Denise Caid of Glendale, AZ, Shelby Gregersen of Huntington Beach, CA; four great grandchildren E. J. Smith, Rebecca Smith, Rachel Smith, and Hannah Smith of Huntsville, TX; one brother James Russell of Moreno Valley, CA; and three nephews Robert Fox of Murphysboro, Donald Fox of CA and Steve Russell of Yucaipa, CA. She was preceded in death by one son in law Donald Smith, one grandson in law Jason Caid, two sisters Laura Fox and Wanda Russell, and her parents. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 3, 2018, at Pettett Funeral Home with Rev. Rick McNeely officiating. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christ Community Church. Mr. Gregersen was cremated, when he passed away, and it was their wish to be buried together. Interment of both Mr. and Mrs. Gregersen will immediately follow the funeral services at Tower Grove Cemetery. For more information, please visit www.pettettfuneralhome.com.

Mae Gregersen

May 15, 1925 - January 29, 2018