Ms. Mary Ann Lax

Mary Ann Ohms Lax 1931-2018 Mary, formerly of Isabella, MN, passed away on August 30, 2018 surrounded by family at her home in Maple Grove, MN. Mary is survived by her eight children and their spouses: Lisa Lax (Burlington, VT); Jon Lax and wife Carrie Odgers (Oakland, NJ); Juli and husband Marcel Meilleur (St. Croix, USVI); Susan Lax (Springfield, VT); Jane Lax (Albany, NY); Stacey Lax (Burlington, VT); Jeffrey Lax and wife Marianne (Franconia, NH); and George McNulty, Jr. and wife Tracy (Robbinsdale, MN). Mary is also survived by five grandchildren: Aaron and Jeanna Lax; Mira and Isaac Steinzor; Nathan Lax; and Kellen and Pierce McNulty; and two nieces: Michelle Ohms Stapleton (Plano, TX) and Angie Ohms Hett (Germantown Hills, IL). In addition to family, Mary’s many loved ones included her beloved dog, Akio, and dear friend Bondell Rae. She was predeceased by her husband Hilmar Lax (1964), her parents, and four brothers: John (1968), Albert (1980), Robert (2006) and Edward Ohms (2016). Mary was born Nov. 20, 1931, in Mt Vernon, IL, to Irene Kuenz Ohms and Albert Ohms. The middle child and only girl among five siblings, Mary lived in Mt Vernon where her father owned and operated a small grocery store. Her father’s family were farmers and her mother’s family were small-business owners. She thus grew up enjoying both the pleasures of interacting with grocery store customers and time on the farm with her father’s family. Mary was extraordinary for her numerous talents and skills, her determination to not only survive but thrive through many adversities, her courage, and independence. Her life was marked by dramatic changes, a rich combination of interests and activities, varied places, and the association and friendships with people from many backgrounds. She possessed a keen intellect with a critical perspective. She was also a devoted friend and confidante, who championed the cause of others not respected in society. After graduating from high school in 1949, Mary attended and completed her RN certification at St. Johns Nursing School in St Louis. While working as a new nurse, she met her first husband, Hilmar Leonard Lax, who was a patient. They married July 4, 1953, in Mt Vernon, IL. Mary and Hilmar had seven children together. During the first years of their marriage, Mary worked as a nurse while Hilmar attended law school. After Hilmar earned his law degree and set up his practice, they lived a comfortable suburban life in Clayton, outside St. Louis, MO. During this time, Mary suffered some unexplained illness and Hilmar suffered several heart attacks. Sadly, Hilmar died in 1964 at age 37 when Mary was just 32 years old, leaving her to raise their seven children. For a time after this, Mary returned to nursing in the surgical recovery department at St Mary’s Hospital to help support the family. Mary married her second husband, George McNulty, an artist, in January 1967. Their son, George McNulty, Jr., was born in 1967, making her brood of eight children complete. The family moved in June 1968 from Missouri to a historic home in Essex, NY, a hamlet on the shore of Lake Champlain. For the next five years, Mary and her family enjoyed the beauty and unique character of the area. Mary held a variety of jobs, including as a nurse and a bartender/restaurant manager at the Old Dock House in Essex. She also developed her creative talents as a writer, astrologer, seamstress, and artist. After divorcing her second husband, Mary moved to Vermont, living for a time in South Burlington, and then St Johnsbury, VT, where she worked as a psychiatric nurse at Northeast Kingdom Community Mental Health Service from 1974-83. During this time, she completed a Bachelor’s degree through Johnson State College adult degree program, and then a self-designed Master’s degree through Goddard College. After most of her children reached maturity, Mary moved with her youngest son, George, to Littlefork, MN, where she started her next big adventure in life. There, she designed and helped build a home on a bluff above the Big Fork River. She cultivated her land, gardened, raised animals and also worked for several years as a psychiatric nurse at Lutheran Social Services. She also taught herself the technical skills of using a computer and printer to reproduce fine art, and she developed her skills as a photographer of nature and still life. Mary would describe her home in Littlefork as her favorite place in the world. She relished the challenges of making a home amongst wildlife, in extreme temperatures, and far away from the amenities of town life; and she used this experience to fully develop her creative talents. She treasured visits from her children and grandchildren while living in her self-designed home, where she would offer home-baked bread, meals with organically grown vegetables, and family photograph portrait sessions. In the early 2000s, Mary decided to move to Ely, MN, after having made several close friendships there. For about 7 years she lived in the town of Ely where she further developed her art reproduction business, Thoughtful Times and enjoyed friendships with Eldon, Jim, and Bondell as well as many others. In 2007, she supervised the building of her dream home outside of Ely in Isabella, MN, on the Stony River. This was another favorite time and place for Mary because she was living in the midst of a pristine and beautiful pine woods, among wolves, deer, and other wildlife. She further developed her skills reproducing fine art, serving varied customers from all over the world. It was also a time of enjoyable visits from her family, especially her two youngest grandchildren, Kellen and Pierce. In the months preceding her move to Maple Grove, Mary felt that it was time to move closer to her son George and his family and to be more proximate to transportation and other services that could meet her needs as she aged. In February 2018, her move was accomplished and with the help of her children she created another comfortable home, a place where she has been able to have family support during her end of life.

Tributes

Ms. Mary Ann Lax

November 20, 1931 - August 30, 2018

Tributes

Ms. Mary Ann Lax

November 20, 1931 - August 30, 2018

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