Marguerite A Kelly

Marguerite A Kelly
Passed away at Cerenity of White Bear Lake 3 days before her 95th birthday.

Born in Alberta, Canada to parents Rosalie (Calhoun) and James Carson. She was one of 5 children - brothers, George and Donald and sisters, Eileen and Midge. When she was just a toddler, her family moved to the US (Ramey, MN) and eventually to Little Falls. At age 7, she lost her father in a hunting accident. Her Uncle Joe and Aunt Minnie and their children, who also left Canada for the US, and lived nearby in Pierz, MN became an intricate part of her and her family’s life.

When she graduated from high school, she came to the Twin Cities to work at the defense plant. Her Uncle Joe and her Uncle Charles “Chek” worked there and got her the job and that is where she met Vince. Uncle Joe approved of Vince – mom thought it was mostly because he was Irish.

Vince courted her for 1 ½ years and they were married in 1946 (at age 19). She had her first of 11 children at age 20 and her last child just before she turned 40. Marge was known for cooking. Her signature dinner was roast beef and all of the fixings and her famous rhubarb bars – she made the most wonderful pie crust. She was a beautiful sewer, needle point, making her own greeting cards and she belonged to organizations such as Columbian Women, altar rosary society and VFW. She volunteered for funeral luncheons and practically every type of food event that happened at St. Bernards. She also volunteered at Little Sisters of the Poor where she thought she might become a resident because she liked it so much.

Marge was a kind, happy, thoughtful, loving person who loved her family, her faith, her Irish heritage and her friends. The one comment us children heard over and over was how much she was loved and how everyone will miss her giggle and her smiles.

Preceded in death by her husband, Vincent and sons, James and Patrick.
Marguerite is survived by her children, Cheryl (Greg) Kern, Mick (Jean), John (Judy), Colleen (Greg) Gelbmann, Maureen (John) Fritzke, Peggy (Rick) Newell, Kathy (Vern Cluckey), Mari (Dave Johnson) and Tom; 23 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren and many other close family members and friends.

A very special thank you to all of the caregivers at Cerenity and HealthPartners Hospice.

Mass of Christian Burial 10am on Monday, May 2^nd at St. Mary of the Lake Church, 4741 Bald Eagle Ave., White Bear Lake. Visitation beginning at 9am. Private family burial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to HealthPartners Hospice.