Bailey Wilson Blethen

Bailey Wilson Blethen, 88, passed away peacefully on November 13, 2025 at the Pillars of Mankato. The family extends its deepest gratitude to the compassionate staff at Pillars, Freedom Home Care, and Moments Hospice, who supported him with kindness, respect, and laughter in his final days.

Bailey was born in Rochester, MN in 1937. His parents, William C. and Corol “Toy” Blethen moved to Mankato soon after his birth. He graduated from Mankato High School in 1955 and graduated cum laude from Brown University in 1960 where he was also captain of the golf team. After college, he moved back to his home state to attend University of Minnesota Law School.

While attending law school, he worked as an insurance investigator. This is how he met his wife, Mary Jane Freudenthal. After interviewing her about her car accident, he maintained there were "several more questions" that should be reviewed over dinner. By both accounts, the door closed on Mary Jane's sorority house, and they both thought, "That's the person I am going to marry." They were wed in Minneapolis in December of 1960.

Bailey excelled in law school, serving as the case editor of the University of Minnesota Law Review and earning his Juris Doctor cum laude in 1963. In a memorable twist of fate, he passed the bar exam on the very same day his daughter, Wendy, was born. Bailey, Mary Jane, and Wendy moved to Mankato, where Bailey joined the law firm of Blethen, Gage & Krause, the firm that his grandfather, Samuel B. Wilson, had started in 1896, and where Bailey's father, Bill, still worked. The firm is now known as Blethen Berens, continuing the family legacy.

Bailey was first introduced to the game of golf by watching his father play in the finals of the Mankato Golf Club Championship. Bailey played in high school and college, and remained an active amateur golfer in adulthood. He played in many local and state tournaments until post-polio syndrome prevented him from playing. Bailey won seven Mankato Golf Club Championships and two Krugel Invitational trophies during his golf career. He passed on his love of golf to his son, Bailey William “Bill”, his grandchildren, and even his great-grandchildren.

Bailey enjoyed playing, coaching, and watching basketball. He was often at the YMCA throughout his life, where he enjoyed many games played in the gym. Bailey started coaching when he and Dean Brudwick began a basketball club team for their seventh-grade sons. Bailey went on to coach basketball at Mankato West for 10 years and at New Ulm Cathedral for 3 years. He was a volunteer assistant coach for the Minnesota State University's men's basketball team for 3 years.

Bailey spent 12 years on the Mankato State University Sports Classic Committee, 8 years as Chair of the First Bank Tip Off Classic, and was a Mankato State University Maverick Booster Club member. In 1997, Bailey was inducted into the Minnesota State University Athletic Hall of Fame. Bailey continued to support the team from the stands at most home games through last year.

In addition to being an athlete, Bailey was also a singer! He joined Mankato Riverblenders in 2005, remaining an active and dedicated member for 20 years. He served on the board of directors and in 2010 was honored with the Barbershopper of the Year award. Participating in Riverblenders was an important activity, and he enjoyed all his friends in the group. It was a difficult day when his Parkinson's did not allow him to participate in the group any longer. In May of 2025, the group presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award at a celebration at Pillars.

Bailey was deeply committed to the greater Mankato community and was honored with the Service to Mankind award from the Mankato Sertoma Club. His extensive service included leadership roles on the boards of the YMCA and the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, as well as volunteering at ECHO Food Shelf and contributing to various local political campaigns. Furthermore, he dedicated himself to the next generation of legal professionals by serving as an adjunct professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and sitting on numerous related committees and boards.

Bailey is survived by his children, Wendy of Minneapolis, MN, and Bill (Sandy) of Arlington Heights, IL; sisters-in-law, Nancy Blethen of Madison Lake, MN, Karri Hansen (Eric), and Stephanie Freudenthal of Edina, MN; grandchildren, Bailey (Liesl), Jeff, Alex (Katrina) Blethen, and Tess Helgeson; great-grandchildren, Olivia, Bailey "Liam", and Roy Blethen; many nieces and nephews, his life-long friends, and his weekly breakfast and lunch groups. Bailey was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Mary Jane; his parents; and his siblings, Nan Rosenstein, Jane Blethen, Pamela Pike, and Peter Blethen.

A celebration of Bailey's life will be held at 12pm, Saturday, December 27, 2025 at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary with a visitation starting at 10am. Private family graveside will take place at Glenwood Cemetery in Mankato.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the Mankato YMCA (https://mankatoymca.org/donate/), ECHO Food Shelf (https://www.echofoodshelf.org/donate/) , or a charity of your choice.

Please share a memory of Bailey with his family, view his video tribute, and watch the livestream of his celebration at www.mankatomortuary.com