Lolita St. Mary

Lolita St. Mary, age 88, of Caledonia, passed away on August 2, 2023, at Claddagh Senior Living, Caledonia.

Lolita was born to Oscar and Evelyn (Welch) Olson on July 28, 1935, in Mabel, Minn. She graduated from Caledonia High School in 1954, and was united in marriage to Glenn St. Mary on July 30, 1955, in the grotto at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Caledonia, Minn.

Lolita began work at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Caledonia as a telephone operator. She joined her husband in El Paso, Tex., where he was in military basic training. They then moved to Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, N. Y., until 1957, when they returned to Caledonia and assumed ownership of St. Mary’s Auto Body Shop. Lolita kept very busy with bookkeeping, trips to La Crosse for car parts, raising their five children, working as a kindergarten aide, in addition to being a Girl Scout leader, sewing for her family and helping with church activities. She enjoyed her Friday ladies’ golf league, hosting euchre parties and shopping.

In 1972, the family moved to Grinnell, Iowa, where Lolita took a position with GTE Telephone Communications. She planned the equipment needed to operate telephone exchanges and update switches throughout the midwest. While employed at GTE, she earned her Associate of Arts degree from Marshalltown Community College. In 1992, Lolita’s department was relocated to Wentzville, Mo., and Glenn and Lolita moved to Lake St. Louis. In 1998, after 26 years of service, Lolita retired and they moved back to Caledonia.  Many winters in Rockport, Tex., were enjoyed with new and old friends touring the area.

Lolita was involved in church activities wherever they lived; CCW, CDA, funeral dinners, church decorating and convent cleaning, and mission sewing.  She especially enjoyed her 20 years in the Marian Study group in Grinnell, the Page Turners and Monday coffee group in Caledonia, her work as a docent for the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum in Burr Oak, Iowa, and volunteer with the Houston County Historical Society.  Lolita’s sweet, caring personality made friendships blossom.

Lolita was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Reginald and David, sisters Frances Jean Olson, Maxine Tingesdal and Juanita Michelsen, sisters-in-law Elaine Olson and Yvonne Murphy, and brothers-in-law Lorren Tingesdahl, Neut Michelsen, Chuck Pluhar, and John Almo.

She will be deeply missed by her family: husband Glenn, children Jacqueline (Harvey) Schweitzer, Michael (Jo) St. Mary, Laura St. Mary, Joan (Tom) Grawe and Lisa (Ted) Glickley; grandchildren Ben, Adam, Joseph, Callie, Anneliese and Mathias; great-grandchild Maleah, sister Cheryl Pluhar, brother Charles (Janet) Olson, in-laws Lyle (Linda Covey) St. Mary, Duane (Judy) St. Mary, Allan St. Mary, Bryan (Lori) St. Mary, Audrey Almo and Marion Olson.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m., Wednesday, August 9, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Caledonia. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery and a luncheon at Holy Family Hall. Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday in St. Mary’s Holy Family Hall, with a rosary at 3:30 p.m.

Visitation will also be from 10-11 a.m., Wednesday morning before the service at the church.

The family would like to thank St. Croix Hospice, Claddagh Assisted Living, St. Mary’s Church staff, Fr Andrew Vogel, Sr. Michaeline Healy, and home healthcare aides Katie, Laurie Ann and Carla.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, Burr Oak, Iowa, St. Mary’s Catholic School Library, Caledonia, Minn., or Houston County Historical Society, Caledonia, Minn. McCormick Funeral Home, Caledonia, is assisting the family.