Marylyn Jane Wefelmeyer

Marylyn Jane (Kranz) "Oma" Wefelmeyer, 91, died Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in her home at New Perspectives senior care in Cloquet after battling dementia for the past several years.

She was born on January 29th, 1934, in Minneapolis, Minn., where she grew up and graduated from the Academy of the Holy Angels High School. She attended St. Catherine's College in St. Paul, Minn., where she received her degree in nursing.

Marylyn married her husband, Fred, on June 28, 1957, and they remained together for 68 years until Fred's death on July 28, 2025. She was an instrumental partner in the development of Fred's business, Wefelmeyer Funeral Home, which they started in Cloquet in 1961 and operated successfully until it was sold in 1997. She also served as a Cloquet city nurse for a time.

Marylyn was the glue that held the Wefelmeyer family together. While Fred focused on his business, Marylyn was busy raising five children, sewing, cooking, teaching and caring for the home, horses, dogs, ducks and cats.

She was an active member in her community, volunteering for Meals on Wheels, at the Cloquet Library, and for five decades at Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet in many roles. She was a devout Catholic and sang in several parish choirs, including most recently at St. Francis in Carlton.

After raising their own children, Marylyn and Fred became willing caretakers of their grandchildren on many days, overseeing activities around the pool and yard at their rural Cloquet home.

Marylyn loved to have fun, obliging Fred on polka dancing outings, partaking in bridge club, neighborhood friend and travel groups and winters in Maui, and traveling the world with Fred in retirement. She also traveled with her girls each autumn and continued to camp, explore and kayak with them into her mid-80s.

Marylyn is preceded in death by her husband, Fred; parents Paul and Carol (Knighton) Kranz; son Paul Wefelmeyer and daughter Carrie Martin; sister Joannie Boelter and brother Paul Kranz. She is survived by brother John (Arlene) Kranz; sons Fritz (Cindy) Wefelmeyer of Panama City Beach, Fla. and Jeff (Nancy Ostman) Wefelmeyer of Cloquet; daughter Ann (John) Myers of Duluth; daughter-in-law Penny (Terry) DeMenge of Cloquet; son-in law Louis Martin of Covington, La.; grandson Guy (Sarah) Wefelmeyer of Cloquet; granddaughter Annisha (Jeremy) Fortune of Bentonville, Arkansas; granddaughter Morgan Wefelmeyer and grandson Paul Wefelmeyer of Cloquet; granddaughters Maggie and Abby Myers of Duluth; and great grandchildren Kyla Fortune and Ava, Gabe and Gracie Wefelmeyer.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. followed by 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, August 18th at St. Francis Catholic Church in Carlton. Interment of Marylyn and Fred will follow at New Calvary Cemetery in Cloquet. Please join the family for lunch following the service at Carmen's Restaurant. Memorials requested to Community Memorial Hospital Auxiliary in Cloquet.

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