Marie Joan Larson Brandt

Age 81, of St. Paul, Minnesota

Formerly of North St. Paul

Died on May 28, 2016

Marie was born on March 19, 1935, in North St. Paul, to Cornelius and Mamie (Ure) Larson. She was born prematurely at home. There is no record of her birth weight but her father said she fit into a shoe box and that was how they carried her to the hospital. Because she was so small, her sister, Betty, named her Marie after the tiniest Dionne quintuplet.

In 1952, Marie graduate from Polar High School in North St. Paul. After graduation, Marie held jobs at a grocery store, restaurant, and several banks where she held the exciting job of bank courier complete with a personal security guard.

On May 17, 1957, Marie married the love of her life, Don Henry Brandt, and they moved to a little house in St. Paul where they resided for decades. Marie and Don were two peas in a pod, never spending much time apart. They enjoyed time with family, friends and neighbors. They joined the blue bird recovery program, enjoyed gardening, freezing and canning vegetables, their dogs, researching family history, teaching Sunday school, and drinking coffee, lots of it.

After Don’s death on May 25, 1994, Marie spent time with her family as much as possible and also dining out with friends and her school classmates as well as traveling. She visited South Dakota, Branson, Missouri and both Seattle and Churchill Canada via the train. In Branson she met Jimmy Dean while in Churchill, she watched migrating whales. She even went white water rafting.

Marie was preceded in death her beloved husband, Don Henry Brandt, parents Cornelius and Mamie (Ure) Larson and her sister Betty (Larson) Rullman. She is survived by daughters Lisa and Susan (Wayne), grandson Dylan, her cousin Lucy, nephew George, great-niece Nicolle and great-nephew Corey.

Special thanks to Good Samarian Society in St. Paul. Marie and her family appreciate the loving care she was given.