MaryEllen Lane

Lane, MaryEllen (Nee Halvorsen) Age 91 years and one day of Minneapolis. Passed away quietly at home with her daughters on April 17, 2011. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 45 years, Howard LeRoy Lane, her parents, Henry Willy and Cassie Grace Halvorsen, and sister, Wilma Esther Halvorsen Lane. Survived by daughters Leslee Lane Hoyum (George) of Rockford and Shelley Ann Lane of Minneapolis; and "son" Robert Gregory Lane (Lori) of River Falls, Wisc.; many nieces, nephews and their families, as well as family in Norway. She was a brilliant student who graduated a year early as salutatorian of Minneapolis West High High School Class of 1936. Although she did not have the opportunity to attend college, she was appointed to highly responsible positions, including executive assistant for B.F. Goodrich Company and the federal government, and eventually became a tax accountant for Vern Anshus and Co., which later became Orland Koechler, Ltd., from which she permanently retired in 1991. Throughout her life, she was an accomplished athlete, especially in tennis and golf. Her aim in life was to be an upright Christian and take good care of her family and others. She originally belonged to Calvary Methodist Church where she met her husband, had her children baptized and sang in the choir for 15 years. She and Howard transferred to North United Methodist Church in 1955 where she became a Sunday school teacher and administrator, as well as a 20-year member of the women's society. She was Girl Scout troop leader for 10 years where she mentored 15 small girls and watched them become productive young women. Even with a full-time job, she managed to create and sew most of her daughters' clothing, study with them every evening, provide them with dance and music lessons, and prepare family dinners each Sunday, which included grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and, many times, strangers. Sunday dinners became Tuesday dinners when her daughters were older. She enjoyed crocheting and her last four afghans were made for her "great-grandchildren" in Norway for Christmas 2010. Until a few days before her passing, MaryEllen was still busy doing daily crossword puzzles, playing cribbage, and avidly reading all the books she hadn't time for earlier. She never lost her surprising, subtle sense of humor. Just after Christmas during an all-too-frequent hospital stay, her respiratory doctor told her that most people her age passed away from pneumonia and he couldn't believe she had it four times in 14 months. He was amazed by her resilience, considering she was plagued with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. MaryEllen told him, "Don't you understand? I am an old, stubborn Norwegian, and we are very difficult to kill." She will be deeply missed by all who knew her, but she is now eternally united with the love of her life, Howard. Memorials are preferred to The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, 924 E. 21st St., Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952, or North United Methodist Church, 4350 Fremont Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55412. Memorial service Monday, April 25, 2011, 11:00 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to service at: Washburn-McReavy Glen Haven Chapel 763-533-8643 5125 W. Broadway

Tributes

MaryEllen Lane

April 24, 2011

Tributes

MaryEllen Lane

April 24, 2011

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