Mary Joan Clauser

Mary Joan (Fosnaught) Clauser, age 89, of Shakopee, Minnesota, formerly of Springfield, Missouri, passed away on March 7, 2026, at Emerald Crest in Shakopee.

Born on June 25, 1936, in Owosso, Michigan, Mary was the daughter of Howard and Mildred (Knaup) Fosnaught. In 1945, she and her younger sister moved with their parents to Marion, Michigan, where her father became the area funeral director and her mother served as a piano teacher and the local Methodist church’s organist and choir director. From an early age, Mary developed a deep love for music, singing, and playing the piano and flute, gifts she continued to share well into her eighties.

Mary graduated as valedictorian from Marion High School in 1954. She went on to earn a BSN from the University of Michigan School of Nursing in 1959 and became a Registered Nurse. She practiced in a variety of settings, including the VA Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, as a college campus nurse, and as a nursing instructor. She maintained her nursing license for 51 years, until age 74, and nursing remained a central part of her identity throughout her life.

While at university, Mary met graduate music student Charles Clauser on a blind date. They married in Marion, Michigan, on August 13, 1960, and welcomed their son, Kristian, eight years later. In 1973, Mary and Charles made Jesus the center of their lives and began preparing for ministry. From 1976 to 1980, Mary studied Bible and music at Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, North Dakota. In 1980, they were appointed by Assemblies of God World Missions to serve in the Philippines, where Mary combined her love of music, nursing skills, and faith into a distinctive ministry that touched many lives. She became a licensed minister with the Assemblies of God in 1992. After nearly 26 years of missionary service, they retired in 2006 and settled in Springfield, Missouri, where they were active at Central Assembly of God, particularly in Senior Adult Ministry, and participated in the choir and orchestra at Maranatha Village. In 2025, they moved together to Emerald Crest in Shakopee, Minnesota, where they celebrated 65 years of marriage.

Mary is survived by her husband, Charles Clauser; son Kristian (Donell) Clauser; brother-in-law William Fankhauser; nephews David Fankhauser and Greg (LeAnna) Fankhauser; nieces Carol Lynn (Fred) Mathia, Beth (Dave) Matzke, Susan (Steve) Marrano, Karen (Ken) Watanabe; and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Mildred Fosnaught; her sister, Ruth Ann (Fosnaught) Fankhauser; and her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Barbara (Clauser) and Donald Walker.