Mary Kyseth

Mary J. Kyseth, age 82, of Apple Valley formerly of Willmar, died Wednesday morning, July 15, at the Ecumen Centennial House Assisted Living Memory Care Center in Apple Valley.

A memorial service will be held at 12 noon Saturday, August 8, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar. Interment will be in the Fairview Cemetery in Willmar. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the service. Memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer's Association: 1301 W. St. Germain St., Suite 104, St. Cloud, MN 56301.

Mary Jane (Turnmire) Kyseth was born on February 2, 1933 in Pleasant Prairie Township, Martin County MN. She grew up on a farm in the Atwater area and graduated from Atwater High School in 1950. On August 6, 1955, she married Robert Kyseth and they made their home together in Willmar where they raised two daughters, Julie and Lori. After the death of their mother Lila, Mary and her siblings were sent to live at the Owatonna State School for Dependent and Neglected Children. She was one of the "lucky ones" when she was eventually adopted. After a foster home situation that was not working out, a farmer and his wife who lived up the road, Emery and Mildred Nelson, took a "shine" to Mary and asked her if she would like to "come and live with them and be their little girl". It was truly a match made in heaven. Mary loved spending time at the family cabin on Diamond Lake. She was a talented floral designer and gardener, working for many years at the Willmar Greenhouse. Mary loved flowers and looked forward to Spring when she could fill the planters, pots, and hanging baskets in her front yard with geraniums and greens. She was also known for her beautiful miniature Christmas trees that she made to sell and give away to relatives and friends.

Survivors include her daughters, Julie (and John) Wilson of Apple Valley, MN; Lori (and Steve) Shippy of San Clemente, CA; three grandchildren, Taylor, Hayley and Logan; Sisters, Elsie Potter of Kandiyohi, MN and Doris (and George) Mittag of Wadena, MN; and several nieces and nephews
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Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Emery and Mildred Nelson, four brothers, Albert, Paul, Lyle and John Turnmire, and her loving husband, Robert in 1976.

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