Marie (Woolaver) Guidera

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Guidera, Marie (Woolaver) June 17, 1929 - December 2, 2021 Marie Guidera, age 92, died in Maple Plain, Minnesota after a well-lived life in Massachusetts and Wayzata. Marie's gifts to the world were her love for others, her great intelligence, her caring and positivity, her deep family values, and her foundational Catholic faith. She was a top graduate of Lynn English High School in 1947 in Lynn, Massachusetts and then of Radcliffe College (now Harvard) in 1951. Marie loved her early work as an executive for Prudential. Later, she worked as a teacher's aide at St. Bartholomew's School and Wayzata Junior High School, and she planned several Wayzata High School graduation parties. She also worked as a leadership consultant for Minneapolis companies enhancing their leadership teams. She researched and studied longitudinally the lives of her Radcliffe classmates in comparison with their college years' expectations for their lives. She enjoyed investing in the stock market and did well at it. She had a tendency to drive fast and earned an exceptional number of speeding tickets in her "black beauty" convertible. Marie's family came first. She wrote a letter to her seven children on November 24, 2001, with the story of meeting our Dad, Richard Thomas Guidera, during her junior year and his senior year of college, saying "Dad and I met at Harvard on March 31, 1950, when he was a very sweet, bright, earnest, hardworking and handsome young man". They were married in 1954 after he returned from the Korean War where he served as a Marine officer. Her letter spoke to the years that followed: "Certainly my/our dreams came true. We've had a remarkable marriage (52 years). After raising you seven nearly perfect children, and after these years of retirement, we are still happy together and still in love." Marie was a people-person who loved deeply. Joyful, warm, brilliant, and giving, she reflected those around her and filled them with her best wishes for them. Her children love her very much and feel blessed to have had Marie and Dick Guidera for parents. Our memories will always include life in her kitchen, the family room, by the Christmas tree, on camping trips, at the cabin, on the slopes of Trollhaugen, Steamboat, and Keystone, as well as each of our individual memories with her. Marie is survived by her children, Dick Jr., Ellen, Pete, Paul, Mary, Meg and Bill, her "in-loves" Henry Purcell, JoAnne Geiser, Beret Henningsgaard Guidera, Andy Cohen, Mike Medema and Aimee Guidera; and her grandchildren, Tom, Matt, Erin, Colleen, Henry, Scott, Sean, Connor, Kate, Sarah, Abby, Maddie, Gena, Christopher, Jenny, Josie, Jane and Anne. Preceded in death by her beloved husband, Richard T. Guidera and her parents, James and Mary Woolaver, she is also survived by her late brother Bud's family, the Woolavers of Beverly, Massachusetts, and by the extended family of Guidera's. Our family extends our deep thanks to the loving staff of Haven Homes for the beautiful kindness shown to our father and mother during their years living under your care. You treated our parents like family and we are truly grateful. Visitation Wednesday, December 8, 2021 from 5-7 PM at David Lee Funeral Home, 1220 Wayzata Blvd East,, Wayzata. Mass of Christian Burial Thursday, December 9, 10 AM at The Church of St Bartholomew, 630 Wayzata Blvd East, Wayzata. Visitation 1 hour prior to Mass. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to St. Bart's School in Wayzata. Marie will be buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a date to be determined. David Lee Funeral Home Wayzata 952-473-5577 davidleefuneralhome.com

Published on December 5, 2021