Mary Louise Church

Mary (Miller, Aakhus) Church was born during the height of the Great Depression, on 29 July 1932, in the small, northern Minnesota town of Bagley and passed away quietly, at the age of 91, on 21 February 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.

Mary’s parents, George, and Helen owned several small businesses in Bagley including a café, where Mary, at a very young age, worked as a waitress during her school lunch hour. It was here where her naturally sociable and energetic character came to light. And that friendly, outgoing personality kept on growing throughout her high school years where she joined every club or organisation available: cheerleader, student council vice president, treasurer, yearbook, pep club, glee club, orchestra, band (drums!), choir, theatre and was voted “Miss Bagley High School” and “Glamor Girl” by her fellow students.

She went on to study theatre and dance at the University of Minnesota (Duluth and Minneapolis) where she performed in several stage performances - and turned down a date request from fellow classmate Robert Vaughan (Napolean Solo in “The Man from Uncle” TV show). Mary also won a variety of local talent and beauty pageants which led to her participation in the 1952 Miss Minnesota pageant.

Her life took a quick turn when she met a charming US Army officer, Charles Aakhus. And it just kept on turning! Together they had four children: Steve (1954), Jack (1955), Tom (1957) and Jill (1963). Due to military postings and subsequent business transfers, the family moved a lot during the next 25 years: Fort Benning GA (now Fort Moore), Fort Bragg NC (now Fort Liberty), Minneapolis MN, Clear Lake IA, Le Mars IA, Sioux City IA, back to Minneapolis MN and finally Columbus OH in 1978. During that time, her new-borns all came home to different homes and graduated from three different high schools.

Mary didn’t like sitting around much so, everywhere she went, she volunteered at local charities and encouraged her children to do so as well, fostering in them a life-long pursuit of “giving back”.

Upon moving to Iowa in 1966, Mary was introduced to the competitive form of the card game called bridge - and became pretty good at it. In 2017, surrounded by many of her bridge friends in Florida, she was awarded the esteemed rank of Diamond Life Master by the American Contract Bridge League.

Mary loved to travel; however, with 4 children, the cost and logistics made that difficult. But her parents had a cabin in the north woods of Minnesota, close to Lake Itasca State Park (source of the Mississippi River) and “The Cabin” became the family’s annual summer vacation destination - and a “magical” world of adventure that helped shape her kids in positive ways for years to come.

Her love for travel finally ignited a couple years after settling in Ohio. And during the next 30 years she travelled the country and the world with cruising becoming her favorite mode of travel.

Mary re-married in 1995 to Glenn Church and moved to Phoenix AZ before settling in Florida near Cocoa Beach. Mary loved living in Florida. She loved the weather, especially in winter! She would often joke that a cold winter day in Florida was warmer than a hot summer day in Bagley MN! She loved when family visited her – which was quite often, especially during winter! And she loved her many friends she met through the several bridge clubs she joined.

Playing bridge gave her a wonderful social outlet, challenged her mind and fed her competitive spirit. And it provided an opportunity to put on some fine clothes and make-up too! Mary played competitive bridge well into her 80s and maintained a rare and mature beauty and style that shined as brightly as her beloved Florida sun.

Throughout her life, Mary never really enjoyed cooking even though she was very good at it. And she was especially good at stretching the food shopping dollar when money was tight and her four fast-growing kids (especially her three teenage boys!) were perpetually hungry. Her “Minnesota” hot-dishes, special event spaghetti bolognese, Sunday morning pancakes and anytime moist chocolate chip cookies were spectacular. But her birthday party double-decker chocolate cakes with melted chocolate drizzled over thick white frosting were legendary!

Mary eventually moved back to Columbus OH in 2020 to be near two of her children, Tom and Jill, and seven of her eleven grandchildren. But she never stopped dreaming of one day returning to Florida…

Mary was preceded in death by her parents George (1971) and Helen (1989) Miller, husbands Charles Aakhus (2004) and Glenn Church (2010) and older brother Les Miller (2022). She is survived by her brother Jack Miller (Minnetonka MN), four children - Steve (Oakland CA), Jack (Sydney Australia), Tom (Columbus OH) and Jill Marrah (Columbus OH), 5 granddaughters and 6 grandsons, 2 great granddaughters and 2 great grandsons, one sister-in-law Diane Knudson Easton (Bemidji MN) and 11 nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held in both Columbus OH (date and place TBD) and in Melbourne FL at the Wickham Park Senior Center (where Mary played bridge) on 20 April at 4p.