Mary Kay Reed

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Reed, Mary Kay Age 73, passed away peacefully at home early Monday morning July 13th after a long battle with lung cancer. Until her last breath she was surrounded by family singing You Are My Sunshine and listening to her favorite music, Patsy Cline, Ella Fitzgerald, and Willie Nelson. Mary Kay will be missed by her three children, Rob Reed, Marla Zack, and Nathan Drengler; daughter-in-law Erica Drengler; and grandchildren Grace Drengler, Evie Zack & Wyatt Zack; brother, Robert (Bob) A Drengler Jr.; sisters, JoAnn M. Paradis, Diane M. Bush; brother- in-law Marc J. Weisenburger, and extended family. Mary Kay was preceded in death by her parents, Robert A. Drengler Sr. and Evelyn M. Drengler; sisters, Carolyn M. Weisenburger and Susan M. Drengler. Mary Kay was born November 2nd, 1946 in Green Bay Wisconsin, and grew up and raised her family in Mankato, MN. She attended St. John's Catholic grade school and Good Counsel Academy girls high school. She worked for many years at DeGrood's Appliance where she was a much-loved friend by both her colleagues and her customers. She played softball for many years in Mankato. Her number one priority in life was raising and supporting her three children. After retirement she moved to Minneapolis in the Linden Hills neighborhood to be closer to family. She quickly made many new friends in her condo building, and put many miles on her bike with her fellow members of the Hiawatha Bike Club. To some Mary Kay was known as "Xena the Warrior Princess", a nick-name given to her and the other fabulous ladies who formed a kinship in her Mankato days (which also included a signature Xena "call"). To others she was simply known as "Nana Kay". Many also knew her as the "Soup Lady" because if she made you a batch of any one of her wonderful soups, you certainly knew that she loved you. She enjoyed the simple pleasures in life; reading and sharing books with friends, chocolate in her coffee, cross-county skiing, walks around Lake Harriet, playing the ukulele, and sitting on the patio with friends where she would often get laughs from a good old Ole and Lena joke, which was always told with her distinctive mode of pronunciation. She had a talent for calligraphy and loved spending time with friends and family. She never complained about anything. Even during the hardest days of her struggle with cancer she always found some little thing in that moment to be thankful for. She was a member of Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Community Church in Minneapolis where she attended weekly mass. There she found a community that fit with her values of equality, justice, peace, and serving the less fortunate. She was always more concerned about others rather than herself. She will be remembered by all as having the qualities of a true warrior; courage, strength, mercy, and love. Mary Kay is no longer with us here, but she is certainly playing her ukulele in the sky. Ride on Mary Kay, ride on. It's a beautiful day. A celebration of Mary Kay's life is to be determined at the appropriate time due to the pandemic. Special thanks to everyone at the Park Nicollet Frauenshuh Cancer Center and Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital Hospice Care Team. Mary Kay was so grateful for the care she received by everyone there. Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996

Published on July 19, 2020