Mary Birkeland, age 90, formerly of Hibbing died Feb. 22 at the Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids. There will be no services at this time. Arrangements have been entrusted to Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home, Sauk Rapids.
Mary was born Aug. 9, 1929, in Duluth to Edward and Margaret (Anderson) Lindeborg. She grew up in Duluth and after graduating from Denfeld High School, graduated from University of Minnesota-Duluth with a degree in education. Mary married Duane Birkeland at First Lutheran Church in Hibbing, where she lived most of her life until moving to Sauk Rapids in 2011 to be close to her daughter and son-in-law. She was very proud to be a school teacher at several schools in Hibbing for 42 years, most recently at Greenhaven Elementary, retiring in early 1990s. Mary was a member of First Lutheran Church in Hibbing where she volunteered. She enjoyed baking, book club, choir and walking. Her faith, family and dogs were very important to her. She was very generous, helpful and giving and will be sadly missed by all who knew her.
Survivors include her daughter, Angela (Michael) Varichak of Sauk Rapids; nephew, David (Sylvia) Lindeborg of Shoreview; nieces, Sandy (Tim) Evanson of Blaine, Diane (Thomas) Benstead of Sun City, Arizona.; best friend, June Hendrickson of Hibbing; many grand nieces and nephews and great grand nieces and nephews; dogs, Paco, Yumi, Izzy and Milo. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Duane; brother, Robert (Loretta) Lindeborg.
Mary’s family would like to thank Dr. Leslie Lofgren of Health Partners, St. Cloud Hospital staff, CentraCare Home Care, nurse Patty, and all the staff at Good Shepherd Nursing Home Ace Unit for all the special care given to Mary.
Obituary and guest book available online at https:// www.williamsdingmann.com
R-9-1B
