Our mom was born in Trout Lake, MN, and graduated from Greenway-Coleraine. She moved to Portland, Oregon as a young and adventurous woman and worked for the telephone company with her lifelong friend, Honey Peluf. Over the years, we could tell by her laughter whenever she was on the phone with Honey. She later moved to Minneapolis where she got married and raised her 3 daughters, leading Blue Birds, Girl Scouts, and other school and community programs with her family. She later worked as a cook in the school cafeteria, which allowed her to continue to spend time with us during the day, and eventually went back to work as a telephone operator supervisor for Honeywell, where she retired.
After devoting her life to raising her daughters, early in her retirement she became a grandmother and devoted much of her time to her granddaughters, eventually living with them during their grade school years. Later, she moved back to Grand Rapids, where she was co-owner of The Cone Shop cafe, and an active volunteer at the Grand Rapids Hospital and Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Bovey. Our mom was a gifted designer, known for her home interiors, prize winning crafts and creations, and her clothing, accessories and costume designs. She was an excellent hostess and cook, known for her holiday parties and picnics, that were always planned down to the finest detail. She was known for her homemade baked beans in particular, but everything she made was delicious. She loved bluebirds and red cardinals and collected teapots. She was a devoted daughter and sister who cherished her family. She was a loyal friend who maintained decades long friendships throughout her life. Her door was always open, and throughout our lives, several family and friends lived with us during times of transition or need in their lives, and she welcomed them generously. She was ‘like a mother’ to many and a favorite aunt and great aunt who developed close relationships with each next generation of family. She loved babies and kids and would rock them in her arms for hours and hours. She loved listening to music and polka dancing, and was an avid sports fan who followed professional and college football, baseball and hockey. Everyone liked to watch the games with her because she participated with a passion to win. She was gregarious and loved to laugh, and we enjoyed many great trips and adventures with her. She was a supportive and doting mother and treated her grand-dogs like grandchildren, baking Christmas cookies for them every year too.
She is survived and cherished by her daughters Kelly, Jeanne and Andrea, granddaughters Rachel and Heather (Joe) great grandchildren Olivia, Emmitt and Lucy, sisters Georgia Sarich, Judy Smith (Manley) and Renee Sigfrinius (Gary), and many beloved nieces and nephews.
She is preceded by her parents, George and Claribel Polzin and sister Lorayne Pierce-Brabec. We are blessed and grateful for our time with her beyond words. She will be in our hearts forever.
Special thanks for Allina Hospice for their care of our mom, and to our friend and nurse Tony Delmonico for his love, wisdom and guidance.
In lieu of flowers, our mom would want donations to: Mt Olive Church in Bovey or the Hennepin Health Specialty Center, A1 Comprehensive Cancer Center, 715 S. 8th Street, Minneapolis, MN. 55404
Visitation will be 12:00 Noon until the 1:00 PM celebration of life on Saturday, January 16, 2021 in the Peterson Funeral Chapel of Coleraine. Interment will be in the Lakeview Cemetry, Coleraine. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, masks and social distancing will be required. No more than 30 people will be allowed in the funeral home at any time.
To send flowers
to the family, please visit our floral store.