Mary Barbara Thorsen, age 89, died peacefully at Comforts of Home in River Falls WI, on July 24th 2024, with her granddaughter Sophia Barbara, holding her hand and singing her favorite song, Amazing Grace.
Mary was born July 10, 1935, the first born of Leo and Beatrice (Strehlo) Lyons of Glenwood City WI. Throughout her life she cared for her younger siblings: John (deceased), Jim, Leo, Kathleen, Juliann, Jerry and Bob.
Mary grew up on the family dairy farm in Glenwood City WI, loving all that entailed: fetching and milking cows, feeding calves and cleaning their pens, driving horses to do fieldwork (later used the John Deere tractor) and loading hay and getting it into the mow. Mary especially loved the farm animals and worked for neighboring farms milking cows. She learned to value work, to love nature and to depend on the Creator.
Mary attended Sunny Slope School, a one room country school through grades 1-8. After she joined the community of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Superior WI and graduated high school. They gave her the opportunity to become a certified x-ray technician and worked at St. Joseph’s hospital in Superior WI. There she met and married Bill Burks in 1968. Although the marriage later ended in divorce, they welcomed their daughter, Lisa Marie into their lives in 1971.
Mary had a lifetime mission to serve her neighbors: the sick, old, hungry and anyone who needed help. She worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Superior WI, Holy Family in New Richmond WI, Hennepin County General in Minneapolis MN and American Heritage Care Center in Hammond WI. Mary also enjoyed her jobs waitressing, cooking and doing dishes. She worked at Harris & Elsa Spaeth’s Midway Cafe in Glenwood City WI, Brownwood Restaurant in Baldwin WI, and Kwik Trip/Hearty Platter in Wilson WI. There she met and married the love of her life, Russell Thorsen in 1998, welcoming his children as her own then and after Russ’ passing. Mary ended her working days with a retirement party at Kwik Trip/Hearty Platter, at the age of 79.
Mary enjoyed her time with family, spending many years living with her daughter, Lisa Maire and grandchildren Dillon and Sophia. She spent her time at their hobby farm doing what she loved; crocheting, knitting, reading books, writing cards and her favorite, working in her garden.
Ever wanting to be helpful, Mary lived and volunteered to work for many years at Birch Haven Assisted Living in Baldwin WI. During her time there she had her own small garden that she loved. In July of 2018, she received the “Outstanding Older Adult Award” from St. Croix County.
Mary will be forever missed by her loving daughter Lisa Marie Burks Voeltz, her grandchildren Dillon & Sophia(partner Emmett); her brothers Jim Lyons, Leo Lyons Jr., Jerry(Sherrie) Lyons, & Bob Lyons; Her sisters Kathleen(Cef) Aguilar, and Juliann (Larry) Fleisher and her Thorsen family: Terrance & Sandy Thorsen, Linda Fortune, Curt Thorsen, & Cindy (Kelly Tri) Rassbach.
Mass of Christian burial and private interment will be held on September 7, 2024 at 11am with a gathering to follow at St. Mary’s Immaculate Conception Church: 1265 Ridgeway St, Hammond, WI 54015.