Mary Elizabeth Reinschmidt-Engel, better known as Mary Beth, was born Sept. 13, 1943, the third child and first daughter to Catherine and Charles Reinschmidt. She had six brothers and a sister.

She grew up with a passion for music, with the piano being her favorite by far. She used her talent for teaching students in the schools, teaching private lessons in piano, voice, flute and violin, and being a member of the orchestra in Boulder, Colo.

She also loved children and had a big heart for saving abused children from their plight of pain and anguish. In her years of teaching in the Bowery in New York City, she rescued two little girls for a Christmas holiday vacation filled with all the dreams a child could experience in two short weeks. She eventually married and adopted two children from a third world country to give them a good life.

Her son became her youngest and most talented piano student ever at the age of 3. Her daughter learned how to play the flute and use her beautiful voice from her mom. Mary Beth was able to save her daughter from an abusive life who turned into a loving young lady, but her son was so disturbed that he not only took her life but also took the life of her elderly mother on Dec. 11, 1999.