Mary E. Marvin

Funeral services for Mary E. Marvin of Minneapolis, MN, and formerly of Warroad, MN will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 11 AM at Zion Lutheran Church in Warroad.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church; with interment at Riverside Cemetery in Warroad.

 Floral tributes respectfully declined. Mary would like donations to the Warroad Veterans Memorial in honor of her brothers. 

Mary Evelyn [Mimi] Marvin was born on April 14, 1925 to parents George Griffin Marvin and Almina [Gibson] Marvin in Warroad, MN where she spent her childhood.

Mary graduated from the Warroad High School in 1943 then attended Carleton College where she graduated in 1947. Following graduation, Mary went to work for Mid-Continent Communications where she worked as an administrative secretary. Mary married Walter ‘Bill’ Lakis on September 15, 1954. Mimi was an independent woman, lived life fully and especially enjoyed traveling the world with friends.

She loved sports and was a loyal follower of Warroad hockey [the boys and girls high school teams and the Lakers], UND Sioux hockey (because of brother Cal) and her Gophers. Great niece Gigi Marvin’s hockey career including three Olympic medal winning appearances was a highlight for her. She enjoyed Gopher football and was an avid Vikings fan [and don’t call during a Vikings game – she wouldn’t answer].

Mary enjoyed the arts as well and attended the Minnesota Orchestra performances, Guthrie Theater productions and held season tickets to the Jungle Theater where she never missed a chance to support Bainbridge Boehlke.

Mimi enjoyed her Lake Calhoun residence and walking and biking around the lake. She was an avid swimmer, doing daily laps until the last year of her life. She had a witty sense of humor and saved little quips for her friends and acquaintances and always insisted ‘NO GUM CHEWING’ and ‘Are we having fun yet?’.  She saved every article about her family or Warroad, underlining names, dates and accomplishments and made many notes on the articles. She was great for sending news articles if she thought it was something someone should read. Mary treasured her longtime friendships as well as meeting new friends.

Nicknames were Mary’s ‘trademark’ and she had one for everyone and most of them stuck. She was the ‘favorite’ big city aunt who brought her nieces and nephews to the beach for a swim and a hot dog roast at the park and introduced them to the richness of the city’s art and culture.

Auntie Mimi was loved and is survived by sisters in laws Beth [wife of Cal] and Eileen [wife of Frank] countless nieces and nephews, and at the end of her life, she knew all of them and their families by name.

Vivacious, energetic and loyal, we lost Mimi on Friday March 9th, 2018 on her brother Tut’s birthday. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, and brothers Bill [and wife Margaret], Frank, Jack, Tut [and wife Mary Pate] and Cal.

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