Mary Baardsen, 92 of rural Vining,
Minnesota
died Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at the St. Williams Living Center in Parkers Prairie.
Mary Josephine Baardsen was born on June 2, 1918 in
Leaf
Mountain
Township
, rural
Clitherall
,
Minnesota
the daughter of August and Emily (Holt) Olson.
She was baptized and confirmed in the
Leaf
Mountain
Lutheran
Church
and attended
Country
School
in
Leaf
Mountain
Township
.
Mary and Oscar Baardsen were married on July 17, 1939 in
Wadena
,
Minnesota
.
They together farmed in
Leaf
Mountain
and Folden Townships until Oscar passed away in 1980.
Mary then did custodian work along with being a Library Assistant with the
Battle
Lake
School
.
She also did volunteering at the Battle Lake Good Samaritan Center and with the Minnesota Heart Association.
Mary traveled with Elsie Jeffers all over the
United States
, and she also made several trips with family to
Texas
and
Washington
.
She had a green thumb; enjoying gardening especially her flowers and plants, liked baking and was a very good bread and bun baker and was an avid reader.
While at the nursing home she was very active in all their activities.
Mary was a member of the
Vining
Lutheran
Church
, and was a good friend, mother and grandmother and especially enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by two sons, Gordon (Lynne) Baardsen of Perham and Daryl (Kathleen) Baardsen of Vining; one daughter, Dianne (Bruce) Runningen of Clitherall; six grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; three sisters-in-law, Louise Olson of Texas, Hildred Sandahl of Minneapolis and Louann Meadows of Mount Lake Terrace, WA and by several nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, August and Emily Olson; husband, Oscar; daughter Marilyn at nine years old; brother and his wife, Raymond and Herbitine Olson.
