Mary Jo Eiden

Mary Jo Eiden (Mortenson), age 74, passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 1, 2025, after a long struggle to recover from multiple strokes. A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, January 3, at 11:00 a.m. at Strike Life Tributes in Isanti. A time for visiting will be held at 10:00 a.m. with a luncheon following the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations in her name to the American Stroke Association, St. Croix Hospice (via St. Croix Health), or Long Lake Lutheran Church in Isanti.

Mary Jo was born on October 24, 1951, in St. Paul, Minnesota to Nels and Henrietta (Nalipinski) Mortenson. She spent her childhood with her seven siblings at the house her father built on Montana Street. Mary Jo attended Catholic school as a child and graduated from Johnson High School in 1969. After graduating school, she worked in what was called "labor and delivery" at St. Joseph's Hospital taking care of newborn babies.

She was married and had her daughter Michelle in 1971 and son Tony in 1973 spending the following years caring for them along with many other kids in the close-knit neighborhood on Burke Street in North St. Paul. As her children started school she began working at 3M in food services, working her way up to managing the dining room. She spent the final years of her career working as a receptionist at 3M where everyone enjoyed being greeted by her smiling face. Mary Jo retired in 2014 to spend her time helping to care for her new granddaughter.

Mary Jo was known for her kindness and understanding and loved her family and friends deeply. Nothing gave her more joy than her grandchildren and being visited by caring friends. Though she did really like it when the Wild and Vikings won.

Mary Jo will be missed and lovingly remembered by her daughter Michelle and son-in-law Bruce Yurich; daughter in-law Kim Eiden; grandchildren Anthony Inda (Nicole) and Madison, Gavin (Kellie), Megan, and Miura Yurich; great grandchildren Mason and Ariella Inda; brothers and sisters Lois (Khalil) Nakhleh, Rita (Dale) Erickson, Diane (Charlie) Kuenzli, Mark (Toni) Mortenson, John (Angie) Mortenson, and Eric Mortenson; many nieces and nephews; and a number of friends, in particular Elayne who checked on her every day.
She was guided through her transition from this life by her son Tony (Eiden), sister Karen (Mortenson), niece Ashley Frederick, dear friend Connie, and parents Nels and Henrietta (Mortenson) who proceeded her in death.

We are so grateful to the friends who visited to provide encouragement, companionship, and prayer over the course of these last several months and want to thank all of the caregivers at Encore in North Branch and St. Croix Hospice who she loved to joke and laugh with and who loved her.