1950
Mary
2019
Mary E. Miller
December 7, 1950 — January 21, 2019
Mary E. Miller, 68, of Red Wing, died Monday, Jan. 21, 2019, at St. Crispin Living Community in Red Wing. She was born in Red Wing on December 7, 1950 (which Mary reminded everyone was the anniversary of Pearl Harbor) to Lawrence H. and Lucille (O'Kane) Miller. Mary was born with cataracts, which despite multiple surgeries, left her legally blind. This led her on a journey of schools trying to find the right fit. She attended kindergarten in Mazeppa, St. Mary's Catholic School in Bellechester, the Villa Maria in Frontenac and graduated from Minnesota State Academy for the Blind in Faribault.
Mary worked at Trevilla of Robbinsdale, St. John's Hospital in Red Wing and she ran a daycare center. During this time, she was named RW Jaycees Outstanding Community Service Person in 1995 and was a member of the Minnesota Catholic Daughters of America.
After being hit by a car in a pedestrian crosswalk in 1999, Mary had to sell her home on the hill, give up her daycare and she moved to the Downtown Plaza. Upon arrival, she became heavily involved in volunteer work, becoming her floor's representative for the Resident Council, taking care of the library, reading to other residents and conducting morning wellness checks. Mary also began volunteering for Faith in Action, including becoming a board member. If an activity required phone calls, Mary got the job!
Mary was a special person and gained media attention for it. Mary won an essay contest, telling of her dad's habit of bringing animals into the house so that as a child, she could see them up close. Her story was published in the Today Magazine (2000). She was also featured for her work as a Faith in Action volunteer, in both the Today Magazine (2002) and the Mpls. Star Tribune (2004), in which it was noted that she both volunteered for and used their services.
Then there was her very special gift of remembering birthdays. If Mary was told a birthdate, she remembered it. If she had someone's address, they would receive a birthday card. At one point, someone calculated that she sent over 200 birthday cards each year, with all the dates coming strictly from her memory. In 1996, both the RW Republican Eagle and the Catholic Spirit wrote stories about Mary's amazing gift.
Mary was a lifelong MN Twins fan, an avid watcher of Jeopardy, a collector of monkeys and she would have loved to travel more.
She is survived by her siblings, Lynn (Jack) Stansfield, LuAnn (Craig) Lewer, her favorite brother Larry (Eileen) Miller and Molly Jo (Stan) Miller Johnson; goddaughter, Valerie McNamara; aunts and uncles and many cousins and nieces and nephews-all of whom, as long as Mary had been told their birthdate and address, received birthday cards. Mary was preceded in death by her parents.
Mass of the Resurrection will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at the Church of St. Joseph with Father Thomas M. Kommers officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary's Catholic Church Cemetery, Bellechester. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel and for one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials are gratefully suggested to Communications Center for the Blind, St. Paul; RW Faith in Action; St. Mary's Bellechester Cemetery Fund or St. Rose of Lima (general fund). Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com
602 Plum Street P.O. Box 111
Red Wing, MN, 55066
435 West 7th St.
Red Wing, MN, 55066
435 West 7th St.
Red Wing, MN, 55066
Mary worked at Trevilla of Robbinsdale, St. John's Hospital in Red Wing and she ran a daycare center. During this time, she was named RW Jaycees Outstanding Community Service Person in 1995 and was a member of the Minnesota Catholic Daughters of America.
After being hit by a car in a pedestrian crosswalk in 1999, Mary had to sell her home on the hill, give up her daycare and she moved to the Downtown Plaza. Upon arrival, she became heavily involved in volunteer work, becoming her floor's representative for the Resident Council, taking care of the library, reading to other residents and conducting morning wellness checks. Mary also began volunteering for Faith in Action, including becoming a board member. If an activity required phone calls, Mary got the job!
Mary was a special person and gained media attention for it. Mary won an essay contest, telling of her dad's habit of bringing animals into the house so that as a child, she could see them up close. Her story was published in the Today Magazine (2000). She was also featured for her work as a Faith in Action volunteer, in both the Today Magazine (2002) and the Mpls. Star Tribune (2004), in which it was noted that she both volunteered for and used their services.
Then there was her very special gift of remembering birthdays. If Mary was told a birthdate, she remembered it. If she had someone's address, they would receive a birthday card. At one point, someone calculated that she sent over 200 birthday cards each year, with all the dates coming strictly from her memory. In 1996, both the RW Republican Eagle and the Catholic Spirit wrote stories about Mary's amazing gift.
Mary was a lifelong MN Twins fan, an avid watcher of Jeopardy, a collector of monkeys and she would have loved to travel more.
She is survived by her siblings, Lynn (Jack) Stansfield, LuAnn (Craig) Lewer, her favorite brother Larry (Eileen) Miller and Molly Jo (Stan) Miller Johnson; goddaughter, Valerie McNamara; aunts and uncles and many cousins and nieces and nephews-all of whom, as long as Mary had been told their birthdate and address, received birthday cards. Mary was preceded in death by her parents.
Mass of the Resurrection will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at the Church of St. Joseph with Father Thomas M. Kommers officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary's Catholic Church Cemetery, Bellechester. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel and for one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials are gratefully suggested to Communications Center for the Blind, St. Paul; RW Faith in Action; St. Mary's Bellechester Cemetery Fund or St. Rose of Lima (general fund). Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com
Visitation
FEB 1. 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM (CST)
Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel602 Plum Street P.O. Box 111
Red Wing, MN, 55066
Visitation
FEB 2. 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (CST)
Church of St. Joseph435 West 7th St.
Red Wing, MN, 55066
Mass of Christian Burial
FEB 2. 10:00 AM (CST)
Church of St. Joseph435 West 7th St.
Red Wing, MN, 55066
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