Mary Ann Babin

Mary Ann Babin, 73, passed away peacefully Dec. 4, 2022, at Orchard Ridge Senior Living in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She resided in Memory Care.

She was born July 28, 1949, in Grand Forks, N.D., and relocated with her family to Long Beach, Calif., where she resided until 1971. She attended St. Matthew Elementary and graduated from St. Anthony’s High School, where she participated in the Glee Club, hence her lifelong love of music. She studied at California State College Long Beach until her marriage to Grant Tester on Jan. 30, 1971, and they relocated to Coeur d’Alene, followed by a move to Prichard, Idaho.

Mary Ann’s greatest love was motherhood. She and Grant share three children, Eric, Gerryanne and Randy. Mary Ann was later united in marriage to Richard Babin, and they had one son, Aaron. Her children were the highlight of her life and she thoroughly enjoyed cooking, baking, caring for them and watching them grow up. She assisted in the family business, Babin’s Grocery Store, where she not only became known as the best ice-cream scooper, she learned how to tag hunter’s deer and elk.

Her love of Broadway led to her involvement in the Wallace Theatre, and her favorite role was portraying Sister Hubert in Nunsense. She was also a patron and volunteer usher for the theater in Coeur d’Alene.

Mary Ann was a religious person with a deep faith in God. She adored her family and friends, and “never met a stranger!” She was simply a one-of-a-kind, remarkable person, full of joy and a gift to everyone she met. She was loving, expressive, fun, and uplifting, energetic, hopeful, kind, and outgoing, unique, dazzling, precious, and irreplaceable. Her laughter and smiles were infectious and she was a consummate giver, she got more joy in making people happy.

Guardian Angel Homes is where Mary Ann realized that caring for and loving the residents was her true calling. She became an Activities Director and shared her joy, love, laughter and voice, to not only the residents, but the staff at Four Seasons and Renaissance in her career. She dressed in costume for every occasion and made each and every resident feel special and truly loved!

One of Mary Ann’s favorite pastimes was garage sale-ing with her friends. Each Saturday they would map out the sales and scour the city for bargains. Mary Ann was always a fashion diva, and she accessorized with matching bracelets, necklaces, earrings, shoes, purses, hats and brightly colored jackets and scarves. She was an avid reader, Bridge player, and was known for her delicious chocolate chip cookies, sticky buns and cinnamon rolls. She shared her beautiful voice by singing with “the 3 C’s” the “Sacred Chorale” and the choir at church. Her circle of friends were the jewels on her earthly crown and she was blessed with so many very special relationships.

Mary Ann is survived by her children, Eric and Julee Tester, Gerryanne Tester, Retired Lt. Col. Randy and Jen Tester, Aaron and Kimberly Babin, six grandchildren, Jake and Kaitlin Tester, Josh Tester, Chloe Tester and Stella Tester, Ava Babin and Autumn Babin, sisters Dean and Katy Tyree, Thomas and Susan Niederwoehrmann, and brother, Marvin “Johnny” Rosvold and many family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin and Geraldine Rosvold, her brother, Charles Joseph Rosvold, daughter-in-law, Keri Tester, and one nephew and two nieces.

Funeral services to be held at at 12:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, 2023 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church.

Please direct any memorials or donations to St. Vincent DePaul: Attention: Holly, 201 E. Harrison Ave., Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814