New Hope – Muriel died on Friday, October 20, 2023 at Northridge Care Center, New Hope, at the age of 89 years, 6 months and 13 days.
Muriel Bernice Mandt (Magnell) was born on April 7, 1934 to Otto and Sylvia (Hill) Magnell in Garnes Township, rural Oklee. She was the first of four children. She attended country school for the first couple of years and then went to Oklee School and graduated there. After high school she went to teachers training and taught at Little Oak school house in Hickory Township for one year.
She met Lyle Mandt and knew she was going to marry him before she even talked to him. They were married on June 18, 1954 at Ebenezer Church, rural Oklee, by Rev. Wilhelm Peterson. They lived in rural Oklee for a couple of years and then went to northern New York where Lyle worked on the St. Lawrence Seaway as a welder. They returned to Oklee in 1958 and began a business of raising chickens. At first it was layers and then they turned to raising chickens from day old to 20 weeks. They owned a hatchery in Dassel, a breeder farm in Darwin, a feed mill in Fertile, a layer farm in Fertile, and two pullet farms in rural Oklee. Muriel kept all the books and lined up all the labor needed for hauling out the 20-week-old chickens and bringing in the baby chicks, as well as raised their family.
She was also a member of the Oak Park Ladies Aid and held the title of President for several years. She loved cooking, baking, cleaning, book work and entertaining guests. There was never a moment lost of her time. For may years the 4th of July was spent at her house by many friends and relatives, with all of the kids swimming in the pool and of course Muriel in the kitchen getting food ready. She was a wonderful cook and everyone knew it. You would never leave her house hungry. People would stop for coffee and there was always some kind of sweet treat.
Muriel is survived by daughter, Mari Lynn Klesk of Maple Grove; daughter-in-law, Vickie (Dallas) Humphrey of Gull Lake; sisters, Shirley (Darrow) Lundeen of Trail, and Violet (Dellas) Disrud of Fosston; grandchildren, Rachel (Rod) Olson of Mentor, Leigh (Tisha) Mandt of North Branch, Rebecca Klesk of Brooklyn Park, Jessica Klesk of Maple Grove, and Nicholas Klesk of Bloomington; great-grandchildren, Brianna (Andy) Munson of Crookston, Emily Olson of Mentor, Liam Mandt of North Branch, Kennedy Mandt of North Branch, and Dylan Klesk of Brooklyn Park; great-great-grandchildren, Ellie Mae and Benjamin Munson of Crookston; as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Muriel is preceded in death by patents, Otto and Sylvia Magnell; husband, Lyle Mandt; son, Lance Mandt; grandson, Lucas Mandt; brother, Charles Magnell; sister-in-law, Corlan Magnell; brother-in-law, Lowell Mandt; nephew, Jason Magnell; niece, Annette Magnell; grandson- in-law, Greg Sandeen; and son-in-law, Greg Klesk.
May her memory be blessed.
Funeral service for Muriel will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at Oak Park Lutheran Church, rural Oklee, with Reverend Jeffery Merseth officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at Oak Park Lutheran Church. Burial will be held at Oak Park Cemetery, rural Oklee.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Oak Park Cemetery Fund.
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