Obituary for Marlyce Irene Lee (Asp)
Marlyce Irene (Asp) Lee
“Mrs. Wildwood”
Age 80
of Mahtomedi, MN
Passed away on June 26 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Her condition was exacerbated by the stress and anxiety of the isolation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
She is survived by her loving husband Don; sisters Carol Whalen and Marcia Johnson (Lew); brother Bill Asp; daughters Shereen Jensen (Dean) and Christiana Marietta (Bruce); 3 grandchildren and many people whose lives she touched through her music and love of books. Marlyce worked for the Washington County library system for over 31 years, including as branch manager when the “new” Wildwood branch library was built in 1990 in Mahtomedi. As a result, she may have been known to some of you as Mrs. Wildwood. She also spent more than 30 years as a church organist most recently at White Bear Lake United Methodist Church. Although she was strong in her Methodist faith, Marlyce enjoyed the opportunity to play in other churches no matter the religion. Marlyce was a people person who always had a story and a kind word for everyone. You may have met her buying milk at Tom Thumb in Willernie and bonded over a story about Sweden or relocating a mouse from the old library in Willernie to freedom in the park. You may remember her because she helped you with a research paper, explained how to cook Lutefisk or found you the perfect book at the library. You may remember seeing her as the Grand Marshal in Birchwood's 4th of July parade or you may have bought stamps from her when the Willernie post office was closed. She was a consummate librarian who loved her library patrons and found joy in seeing others enjoy reading and books. If you were homebound, she may have dropped off books at your home or assisted living facility. Her family was proud when November 21, 2009, was proclaimed Marlyce Lee day in Mahtomedi and Willernie in recognition of her retirement. Her music also touched many people. She might have passed on her love of music to you or your children while she was teaching Girl Scout or bible school songs, or while she was providing piano accompaniment for a music contest, choir rehearsal or Suzuki violin concert. For many years she was a volunteer coach for high school students, helping them prepare for and accompanying them at the state music contests. She worked hard to help these kids be the best they could be.
The family would like to thank the Hearth and South Gables teams at Waverly Gardens for caring for Marlyce for the past 2 years.
A private family interment will be in Fairview Cemetery, Stillwater, MN. Memorial Service Friday, October 1, 2021 at 4:00 PM at White Bear Lake United Methodist Church, 1851 Birch Street, White Bear Lake. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor.
A list of suggested charities are: (scroll to bottom of page and click on "Marlyce's PDF Memorial Program" below.
Compas https://www.compas.org/donate
Solid Ground https://www.solidgroundmn.org/end-homelessness/donate/
Tubman https://www.tubman.org/give-help/ways-to-give/donate.html
White Bear Lake United Methodist Church http://wblumc.org/giving/
MN Historical Society https://www.mnhs.org/support/donate
NE Youth and Family Services https://www.nyfs.org/support-us-2/donate/
MN Chorale https://mnchorale.secure.force.com/donate?dfId=a0nG0000002RUVHIA4
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra https://www.thespco.org/contribute/contribute-now/
MN Orchestra https://minnesotaorchestra.org/support/individual-giving
MN Opera https://my.mnopera.org/donate/contribute1
River Valley Girl Scouts https://www.girlscoutsrv.org/en/support/ways-to-support-us/donate.html
Fellowship of United Methodist Musicians https://www.umfellowship.org/donate
Wildwood Artist Series https://maefgives.z2systems.com/np/clients/maefgives/donation.jsp?campaign=17&
American Guild of Organists Twin Cities Chapter https://tcago.wildapricot.org/
Lakeshore Players https://www.lakeshoreplayers.org/annual-fund
Swedish Institute asimn.org/giving
Reading Partners Twin Cities - https://donations.readingpartners.org/give/278315/#!/donation/checkout
Books are Wings - https://www.booksarewings.org/ways-to-give/
“Mrs. Wildwood”
Age 80
of Mahtomedi, MN
Passed away on June 26 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Her condition was exacerbated by the stress and anxiety of the isolation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
She is survived by her loving husband Don; sisters Carol Whalen and Marcia Johnson (Lew); brother Bill Asp; daughters Shereen Jensen (Dean) and Christiana Marietta (Bruce); 3 grandchildren and many people whose lives she touched through her music and love of books. Marlyce worked for the Washington County library system for over 31 years, including as branch manager when the “new” Wildwood branch library was built in 1990 in Mahtomedi. As a result, she may have been known to some of you as Mrs. Wildwood. She also spent more than 30 years as a church organist most recently at White Bear Lake United Methodist Church. Although she was strong in her Methodist faith, Marlyce enjoyed the opportunity to play in other churches no matter the religion. Marlyce was a people person who always had a story and a kind word for everyone. You may have met her buying milk at Tom Thumb in Willernie and bonded over a story about Sweden or relocating a mouse from the old library in Willernie to freedom in the park. You may remember her because she helped you with a research paper, explained how to cook Lutefisk or found you the perfect book at the library. You may remember seeing her as the Grand Marshal in Birchwood's 4th of July parade or you may have bought stamps from her when the Willernie post office was closed. She was a consummate librarian who loved her library patrons and found joy in seeing others enjoy reading and books. If you were homebound, she may have dropped off books at your home or assisted living facility. Her family was proud when November 21, 2009, was proclaimed Marlyce Lee day in Mahtomedi and Willernie in recognition of her retirement. Her music also touched many people. She might have passed on her love of music to you or your children while she was teaching Girl Scout or bible school songs, or while she was providing piano accompaniment for a music contest, choir rehearsal or Suzuki violin concert. For many years she was a volunteer coach for high school students, helping them prepare for and accompanying them at the state music contests. She worked hard to help these kids be the best they could be.
The family would like to thank the Hearth and South Gables teams at Waverly Gardens for caring for Marlyce for the past 2 years.
A private family interment will be in Fairview Cemetery, Stillwater, MN. Memorial Service Friday, October 1, 2021 at 4:00 PM at White Bear Lake United Methodist Church, 1851 Birch Street, White Bear Lake. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor.
A list of suggested charities are: (scroll to bottom of page and click on "Marlyce's PDF Memorial Program" below.
Compas https://www.compas.org/donate
Solid Ground https://www.solidgroundmn.org/end-homelessness/donate/
Tubman https://www.tubman.org/give-help/ways-to-give/donate.html
White Bear Lake United Methodist Church http://wblumc.org/giving/
MN Historical Society https://www.mnhs.org/support/donate
NE Youth and Family Services https://www.nyfs.org/support-us-2/donate/
MN Chorale https://mnchorale.secure.force.com/donate?dfId=a0nG0000002RUVHIA4
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra https://www.thespco.org/contribute/contribute-now/
MN Orchestra https://minnesotaorchestra.org/support/individual-giving
MN Opera https://my.mnopera.org/donate/contribute1
River Valley Girl Scouts https://www.girlscoutsrv.org/en/support/ways-to-support-us/donate.html
Fellowship of United Methodist Musicians https://www.umfellowship.org/donate
Wildwood Artist Series https://maefgives.z2systems.com/np/clients/maefgives/donation.jsp?campaign=17&
American Guild of Organists Twin Cities Chapter https://tcago.wildapricot.org/
Lakeshore Players https://www.lakeshoreplayers.org/annual-fund
Swedish Institute asimn.org/giving
Reading Partners Twin Cities - https://donations.readingpartners.org/give/278315/#!/donation/checkout
Books are Wings - https://www.booksarewings.org/ways-to-give/