Madelyn Beatrice Wimmer

Madelyn Wimmer of Pine City passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at the Sandstone Healthcare Center with family and friends by her side at the age of 85. Madelyn Beatrice Marks was born February 9, 1939 to John and Anna (LaPolice) Marks of Sandstone, Minnesota. She was one of nine children. 

Madelyn attended the Lakeview School House in the Lake 11 area through the 8th grade and then graduated from Sandstone High School. As the eldest daughter, she would tell many stories of how she helped her mother to raise the siblings. There was a pitchfork accident in the hay barn as a kid which took the sight from one of her eyes, but despite this deficit, she could survey an entire room and never miss a detail. 

Madelyn met Harold Wimmer while she was working in Pine City. They were married on August 24, 1957 and bought their first home on Woodpecker Ridge in Pine City that year. They had 3 sons while living in town and bought The Farm located in Grasston in 1968, adding one more son to the family in 1972. Besides corralling all of those boys, Madelyn worked outside of the home as well. She was employed at the nursing home, Montgomery Ward, General Fab, and at the place in Mora she referred to as "The Sweat Shop". Madelyn was most fond of her job at The Red Shed in Pine City where she was blessed with many new and dear friends (and the recipe for biscuits and gravy). 

Madelyn enjoyed spending time with her lady friends and went on several trips with the girls. Her partner in crime for many years was Glenda and they never missed a garage sale. She also enjoyed her "treasures", crossword puzzles, reading in her chair, and she had tremendous vocabulary. Harold and Madelyn attended Zion Lutheran Church in Pine City where Madelyn was active in the church choir, bible study, LWML, and helped serve meals for funerals and vacation bible school. They enjoyed telling their tall tales of fishing and blueberry picking from their camping trips in Canada and the State Parks. 

Madelyn went by many names: Maddie, Maggie, Mags, and Mag-pie.  The role she was best at was Grandma. Whether it be the candy bar drawer, the layered jello dessert, the Trivial Pursuit game, or Christmas garage sale bags, she was always spoiling whomever was there to visit. She loved gardening but hated snakes so much that she took to house plants as she got older. Madelyn enjoyed traditions and kept them alive for every holiday for everyone to enjoy and remember. Her specialties were lemon bars and brownies and she always had Land-O-Lakes butter as her hostess gift to others. 

As her mind and memory faded in the last few years of her life, her quick wit and welcoming companionship never did. Madelyn brought life to any party and made everyone feel welcomed in her presence. A special thank you to the staff at Sandstone Healthcare Center for their loving hospitality and unwavering care of Madelyn. She will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her. 

Madelyn is survived by her children; Jeff (Kay) Wimmer of Pine City, Patrick Wimmer of New York, Scott (Robin) Wimmer of Rock Creek, Durand "Snork" Wimmer of Grasston; 10 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; siblings Jo Nelson of Sandstone, Patricia (Richard) Goodwill of Texas, Shirley (Leo) Irlbeck of Hinckley, Janice (Dave) LaPolice of Stewartville, David Marks of Sandstone, Merlyn (Deb) Marks of Burnsville, sister-in-law Merry Marks of Hinckley; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents John and Anna Marks; husband Harold Wimmer; daughter-in-law Barbara Wimmer; siblings Dwight Marks, Mary Thorvig; brothers-in-law Dale Nelson and Chris Thorvig. 

Pastor Glen Kleppe will officiate at services for Madelyn: 2 PM; Saturday (12/21) at the Zion Lutheran Church in Pine City.  A time of visitation and reviewal 4-7:00 PM Friday (12/20) at the Swanson Chapel. 

Funeral arrangements for Madelyn Wimmer are entrusted to the:  Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City, Swanson Chapel 

www.FuneralAndCremationService.com