Mary M. (Nordmann) Lyslo

Mary M. Lyslo, 83, of Glenwood, died after a long illness on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at Glenwood Retirement Village.  Per Mary’s request, her services will be private.

Mary Margaret Nordmann was born on July 18, 1939, the only child of Martin and Mila Nordmann of Grove Lake. She attended elementary school in Grove Lake and later Glenwood High School, graduating the youngest in her class in 1956.  After a short stint at St. Cloud State University, she began working as a secretary in the Twin Cities.  

On June 21, 1958, Mary married her high school sweetheart, Elling Lyslo, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Grove Lake, and so began a lifelong adventure. Elling enlisted in the United States Air Force, and the pair traveled the country and the world together, living in Wisconsin, Turkey, Colorado, California, Texas, and Florida before settling down on the family farm in 1977. They had two daughters, Dawn and Kathryn (Kay), and Mary became an expert at efficiently moving a family of four across the country. She often joked that the house barely had time to get dirty before the next adventure began.

Mary stayed at home with the kids until they were school age and then later worked as a secretary at a variety of companies while skillfully keeping the household running. After she and Elling retired and sold the farm in 1997, she enjoyed traveling, watching football, golf, and cooking shows, and (most of all) reading.  She especially cherished trips to England, Scotland, and Ireland, and regular fall trips to Grand Marais to see the changing leaves.

As all who knew Mary can attest, she possessed a sharp wit that kept her family and friends on their toes throughout her life. Her shrewd observations, her puns, and her love of inside jokes will provide a lifetime of memories for those she leaves behind. She also passed on her love of literacy and reading to her entire family, for which they are grateful. She quietly and consistently supported a number of causes close to her heart, including food pantries, libraries, public television and radio, conservation groups, and several health-related organizations.

Mary is survived by her husband, Elling, her daughters, Dawn Baker and Kay (Dean) Zoromski, along with four grandchildren, Clint (Bren) Baker, Aouri Lyslo, Sam (Noelle) Frost, and Ellen Frost. She also leaves behind a great-granddaughter, Tamsin Baker.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Mart and Mila Nordmann,

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