Muriel Phyllys Copp

Muriel Phyllys Copp, 84, of Red Wing, died Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at her home at Deer Crest. Born on December 17, 1935, in Thief River Falls, Minnesota to Elsie (Geppert) Copp and Vernon Copp, she grew up on the family farm near Thief River Falls. She attended County Line country school, recieving an 8th grade diploma from Pennington County rural schools in 1949. She graduated from Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls in 1953 and received her bachelor of science degree from Bemidji State University in 1957. In 1969 she received her master's degree from the University of Minnesota. She taught two years at Mazeppa High School before coming to Red Wing Central High School where she taught until the spring of 1972 and served as Co-op Office Education Coordinator in the last 3 years there. In the fall of 1972, she set up a Clerical/Secretarial Program for the opening of Red Wing Vocational Technical Institute. She continued to teach through several school program name changes until retirement in the spring of 1993. In December of 1993 she accepted a part-time position at First Presbyterian Church of Red Wing and retired in July 2004. On October 30, 2004, she exchanged vows with Samuel Pearson of Richfield. They made their home in Red Wing.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Red Wing and a long-time choir member. She was a member of Chapter P of PEO, Omega and Alpha Meta Chapters of Tau State Delta Kappa Gamma, Red Wing Area Seniors, Red Wing Arts Association, Friends of the Sheldon and several professional educational organizations. She served in many offices and on many committees of any organization to which she belonged, some of which were at the state level.

Her special interests were music, travel, and reading. "Adopted" into families of friends, she enjoyed gatherings and special events of Sam's family and hers as well as those of many other families.

Survivors include one nephew, Loren (Donna) Walters of Byron; four nieces, Bonnie (Daniel) Boots of Bloomington, Patricia (Dennis) Callinan of Eagan, Barbara (Rex) Novek of Red Wing and Diane (Gregory) Keyport of Lake City; a great niece; six great nephews; two great great nephews; a great great niece; longtime friend, Ardis Kyker of Red Wing; Sam's three sons, William (Kathyrn) Pearson of Cambridge, Tom (Kim) Pearson of Eden Prairie and Eric (Marcelle) Pearson of Minnetonka along with Sam's five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her parents and two sisters, Ardith Copp and Bernice Walters Dahl.

A private family service will be held. Burial will be at the Lakewood Cemetery in Lake City. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials are preferred to the First United Methodist Church, educational foundations/scholarships, Faith in Action of Red Wing, American Lung Association, American Heart Association or the ALS association and can be sent to Barb Novek, 28728 Hwy 58 Blvd., Red Wing, MN 55066. Funeral arrangements are by the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.