The funeral service for Mary Gilb, 75, of Tracy, will be on Saturday, December 7, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at Tracy Lutheran Church in Tracy. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Lucan. Arrangements were handled by Horvath Funeral Service, Tracy, MN, www.horvathfuneralservice.com
Mary Ann (Johnson) Gilb was born on September 13, 1944, in Tracy, to Joe and Goldie (Haugen) Johnson. She was baptized and confirmed at Willow Lake Lutheran Church in rural Tracy. Mary attended school in Tracy, graduated in 1962, and started working as a telephone operator when she was 17. On August 24, 1963, Mary was united in marriage to Ronald Glenn Gilb at Willow Lake Lutheran Church in rural Tracy. The couple was blessed with four children: Cammy, Ricky (who died at three days old on November 2, 1965), Joey, and Ronda. Mary worked on the farm alongside her husband for many years. After they quit farming and moved to Redwood Falls, Mary worked at the Robert Multon Home until they purchased the Lakeside Drive Inn in Cottonwood, which she ran with her husband for two years. After they sold the Drive Inn, Mary and Ronald moved to an acreage they purchased by Lynd. While living in Lynd, Mary worked at Woolworth as a salesclerk and music department manager for five years before going to work at S.S.U as a cook for five years. Later Mary worked for Schwan’s at the ice cream plant for a year and then the convenience food plant as a scheduler and production coordinator for about eight years, until she and Ronald moved to an acreage they purchased by Avoca. Mary worked at the Slayton and Fulda D.A.C. until she retired in 2005. Mary moved back to Tracy in 2009, and she was an active member of the Tracy Lutheran Church.
Mary enjoyed painting, doing crafts, reading, playing cards, going to flea markets, and working in her flower garden. She loved spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, sisters, and friends, as well as with her special four-legged boys Tuffy and Cupid. Mary also enjoyed volunteering in various church and community activities, including serving on the Evangelina Membership Committee, Church Choir, Hoe-n-Hope Garden Club, Serving Hands Ladies Auxiliary (serving as Treasurer for 4 years and Secretary for 2 years) and Jay Bible Study group.
Mary died on Monday, December 2, 2019, at Our House of Murray County in Slayton. Mary is lovingly remembered by her children Cammy (Bob) Gould of Marshall, Joey (Elvia) Gilb of Manteca, CA, and Ronda (Ryan) Kumerow of Sterling, ND; twelve grandchildren: Lee, DeeDee, Mary, Cody, Ronald, Bobby, Faren, Marlina, Edwin, Kevin, Nirisa, and Shelby; twenty-one great-grandchildren: Autumn, Tristan, Rafe, Zoey, Avianne, Lelyn, Jolean, Preston, Hazel, Madison, Harrison, Evolette, Avery, Olive, Paisley, Alizabith, Grayson, Josh, Cameron, Leland, and Allison; sisters Joanne (Donald) Mueller of Apple Valley, Muriel (Harlan) Campbell of Currie, Judy Johnson of Buffalo, and Darlene (Dean) Albertson of Walnut Grove; sister-in-law June (Kenny) Gilb of Walnut Grove; brothers-in-law Harlan (Muriel) Campbell of Currie and Dean (Darlene) Albertson of Walnut Grove; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Ron, her parents Joe and Goldie Johnson, her infant son Ricky, brothers-in-law Kenny Gilb, Donald Mueller, and Harlan Raddatz, sister-in-law LaDonna Raddatz, niece Carolyn Mueller, great-grandson Mathew, and father and mother-in-law Alvin and Fern Gilb.