Aileen Doris "Dee" Mantell

Aileen Doris "Dee" Mantell, age 90, died on March 26th at the Las Vegas Solari Hospice. Ms. Mantell had been hospitalized for two weeks, battling pneumonia and sepsis. Dee was born on February 4th, 1924, in Detroit, Michigan, to Peter and Emma Boublitz Mantell. Dee had one older sister, Inez Bugby, fourteen years her senior. Dee never married. Like many of her family members, Dee left her home in Detroit over 60 years ago, for southern California where her sister, Inez, lived with her husband. (Like Dee, Inez never had children). After finishing high school, Dee elected to attend secretarial college and subsequently joined Bendix Corporation (a manufacturer of auto and airplane parts) where she rose from the secretarial pool to become the executive secretary to the president of the corporation. Dee "retired" from Bendix in the late 1970's to pursue what was to be a successful career in real estate - a career that suited her independent character. Bendix later closed its doors, in 1983. Dee was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church; a woman of substance who helped people who she felt needed and deserved help. She greatly valued education, family and friends and - over her lifetime - Dee had many, many friends, including a great number of friends she made in the last part of her life. She had a lively spirit and a sense of fun. Dee is survived by her cousins, William Burkel of Tucson, Arizona and Paul Burkel (William and Paul's two middle brothers are deceased) of Caro, Michigan. Also by Richard and Celia Burkel and their two children, Travis and Amy Burkel, and Katherine Burkel Carlton and her husband, Norman, and their two children, Madeline and Forrest, all of Tucson, Arizona. Funeral services will be held at Palm Mortuary on 7600 S. Eastern Avenue in Henderson, Nevada, on Thursday, April 10th. Viewing will take place from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and a Memorial Service will be held from 2-3 p.m. with refreshments and fellowship afterwards. Dee will then be flown home to Michigan to be buried in Brookside Cemetery in Mount Morris, Michigan, with her parents. If you would prefer to make a "memorial" gift in her name, Dee was a great supporter of Miracle Flights for Kids, a charity based in Las Vegas, Nevada and also of the Smiles Foundation.