Marie Brandt

Marie Brandt, 93, of Minneapolis, MN, passed away peacefully on May 6, 2026. She was born on April 10, 1933 in Winnipeg, Manitoba to Eduard and Juliana Schmidtke. Marie grew up during the Depression in the backwoods southwest of Steinbach, Manitoba, where her father built a log cabin and hunted and trapped. She walked 3 1/2 miles to school each day, even during the Canadian winter. Marie was an excellent student and won the 1950 Manitoba Scholarship issued jointly by the Province of Manitoba and the University of Manitoba. Marie married Edward Brandt in 1953. After they moved to the United States and started their family, Ed's work took them to several states and foreign countries. While raising four children, Marie packed up the house and moved the family numerous times within the U.S. and overseas. Over the years, the family lived in Minnesota, Tennessee, Maryland and Pennsylvania; and Munich, Bonn and Nuremberg in Germany; and Dacca in what is now Bangladesh (East Pakistan at the time). After returning to Minneapolis in 1967, Marie worked on Ed's political campaigns when he ran for State Legislature and served for 2 terms. In the 1970s, Marie trained as a radiologic technician, earning her certificate in 1979 and her B.S. in Radiologic Technology in 1985. She was proud to be selected to work on the first CT scanners available in Minnesota, and became a specialist in that field. In 1984, she joined the Peace Corps at the age of 51 and was assigned to Jamaica. Marie set up the first CT scanner in that country at the University Hospital of the West Indies and taught a class in Special Imaging. After returning from the Peace Corps, she was a founding member of the Minnesota Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Toastmasters Club (chartered in 2001) and served as its 2nd president. Marie was a vibrant and energetic person with many interests. She loved meeting new people and learning about other cultures. She established "Marie's International House" to rent rooms in her home to international graduate students attending the University of Minnesota. She also loved music and dance, a love that was passed to her from her parents and grandparents at an early age. She carried those interests throughout her life. She was a member of the Rex Accordion Band (later called Accordion Memory Makers) for many years. Several years after her husband's passing, Marie was contacted by Ed Lehan, an old friend from Jamaica whom she hadn't heard from since the 1980s. After that, he regularly visited her in Minneapolis, and their friendship eventually blossomed into a loving partnership that lasted until his death in 2022. Marie is survived by children Rose, Eileen (Steve), and Douglas, her grandchildren Rachel (Austin) and Christine (Oren), and her great grandchildren Elora, Emery, and Ezra. She was preceded in death by her parents Eduard and Juliana, her husband Edward, her son Bruce, and her siblings Georgina (Maurice), Virginia (Björn), Kenneth (Betty), and Eloise (Larry). A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 15, 2026 at 11am, with visitation one hour prior at Washburn-McReavy Hillside Chapel, 2610 19th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418, followed by luncheon and graveside service at Hillside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the International Institute of Minnesota (iimn.org) or the Minnesota Historical Society (mnhs.org). Marie was outgoing and friendly, and loved people. She made friendships and connections wherever she was. Her focus was always on helping and supporting others. Marie will be deeply missed by her family and the many people she touched during her life.

Marie Brandt

April 10, 1933 - May 6, 2026

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