Marie M. Fier

Marie M. Fier

New Ulm - Marie M. Fier, age 99, of New Ulm passed away Sunday, August 18, 2019 at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm.

Funeral Service will be 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 23, 2019 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Ulm. Father Gerald Meidl and Father Brian Fier will be co-celebrating the mass. Burial will follow in the New Ulm City Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 22, 2019 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home - SOUTH Chapel. Visitation will continue on Friday, August 23 one hour prior to the service at St. Mary's Catholic Church.

To leave an online condolence for her family, or to sign the guestbook, go to: mvfh.org.

Marie Marcella Mechavich was born on November 11, 1919, in St. Cloud, MN, the third of four children of Frank and Rose (Tomporowski) Mechavich. The basic family necessities were available but frugality became mom's operating style and wasting anything considered a sin.

Always a hardworking student, Marie was proud to graduate from St. Cloud Technical High School on June 3, 1937 and pursued 2 additional years of education at St. Cloud Business College where she mastered "short-hand", typed 120 words a minute and honed "old school" executive secretary organizational skills.

Farm boy Edward Fier was a Navy recruiter in St. Cloud while Marie worked in the post office building nearby. They married on December 27, 1944, lived in St. Paul then moved to New Ulm, MN in 1947 where the couple spent the rest of their lives.

While always focused on the successful raising of her four children Marie began burning the candle on both ends. Able to work at a high level on a lifetime of little sleep she was a personal secretary to Winfield Forsberg and later typed reports for pharmacist Jay Vancura and the Viking Vocational Center in Hanska. Long before the computer or copy machines, using "carbons" to make the copies made typewriter accuracy a mandate. The typewriter was often her nightly pillow.

Marie always thought of her own needs last and took a great pleasure in helping others. This began a career of "deep" volunteerism. She knew the value of devoting time, effort, persistence and enthusiasm to public service much outweighed "throwing a few bucks in the hat". Arrive early, dress appropriately for the task, pay attention to the goal and don't be afraid of staying late was the method.

She volunteered as Girl Scout Leader before she had her own 4 children, was active on the Current News Club (becoming president) which donated clothing to the needy during the winter, delivered Meals on Wheels with Ed for years and served St. Mary's parish and auxiliary in many capacities including the parish council and the head of the memorial fund.

For many years, she served on the Board of directors of Highland Manor Nursing Home and was truly dedicated and instrumental in the creation of Oak Hills Living Center. Very active on the Brown County Welfare Board and the Human Resource Committee for Sioux Valley Hospital she constantly worked on the needs of the unfortunate and elderly. She remained active in the League of Women voters into her elder years and served as an election judge over 50 years. The United Way, the Turner Ladies and the Brown County Fair relied heavily on her pre-computer skills. Brown County Historical Society, the Lind House group, Farm-Hub club, the P.E.O (which promotes advanced education for women), there were few volunteer organizations Marie avoided.

Her 40 year commitment (20 years as secretary) with the Community Concert Association was legendary. Being secretary entailed a yearly membership campaign, the record keeping and then distributing tickets to the 1000+ members. All of this pre-computer, she was proud to help bring outside entertainment and non-polka enjoyment to our area.

In addition to all the above formal commitments, mom could be relied on to prepare food for the bereaved and bake her often requested lemon poppy seed cake for any and every occasion…new graduate, new baby etc. None of this was for self-glorification or recognition but only filling a perceived need at the time.

Mom was finally recognized with the Sertoma "Service to Mankind" award in 1987, an award that somehow surprised her.

An exceptional and patient seamstress she often made clothes for herself and daughters even later taught classes in dress making. Never a believer in idleness she knitted (in her "downtime") Christmas stockings and countless sweaters for her family as it grew. She became an accomplished Bridge player, conservative in approach with a strong memory and good intuition. Sticking up for female golfing on the New Ulm Country Club Board also provided entertainment. Gourmet cooking and Social dancing intrigued her curiosity, especially Ed's sense of rhythm. Marie and Ed travelled widely over the world but mom truly just enjoyed taking a nice walk. When the ability to do so was taken from her (even for just a few aided steps in the last months) it was a devastating loss.

Marie believed in the importance of standing up against domineering personalities. She was an early feminist who proved being "lady like" while independent and strong was not only possible but necessary. Marie never quit learning and showed disinterest in the past. She believed in life and adapting to whatever debilitating circumstances were thrown at her. Her glass was always overflowing.

Current events whether at the most personal, local, or international level were important to her. Proud to have lived long enough to vote for a black President, she continued to be dismayed about the present administration's treatment of those seeking a better life, as her own immigrant grandparents had. She always searched for common ground on any issue, believed in generally working within established rules and knew enough to "don't believe in everything you think."

Her candle burned out August 18, 2019 and it took a heavy wind to do it. She is survived by her four children: Jay (Louise Trottier) Fier, Bryce (Shelly) Fier, Julie Ann (Mike) Kerrigan, JoEllen (Dave) Betts. Five grandchildren: Brent, Daniel, Jill, Luke, Katie and 3 great grandchildren: Autumn, Hazel, and Parker.

Memorials in lieu of flowers are appreciated. Volunteering for something even more so.