Mary Gifford, 55
Mary Gifford, 55, of Blooming Prairie, Minn., died on Nov. 23, 2008 at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minn.
Mary Jane Hjelmen was born Jan. 5, 1953 to Gordon and Goldie (Berge) Hjelmen in Austin. She graduated from Austin High School and continued her education by getting an LPN degree in nursing. Mary married Marc Gifford and later they divorced. She lived in Iowa and later moved to Blooming Prairie in 1994 where she continued to make her home. Mary worked for more than 10 years at Prairie Manor Care Center as a nurse. She was a member of First Lutheran Church of Blooming Prairie. Mary loved to take care of people, to spend time with the grandchildren, liked to travel and cook and enjoyed decorating the house for Christmas.
Surviving are her parents, Gordon and Goldie Hjelmen; five children, Paul Hjelmen, Austin, Erin (Gunnar) Grossbach, Owatonna, Megan (Sean) Driscoll-Hunt, Dallas, Ga., Josh Gifford and Rachel Gifford, Blooming Prairie; three grandchildren, Ashleigh Alwes, Zoey Alwes, Paige Grossbach; brothers, Steve Hjelmen and Mike Hjelmen, Blooming Prairie, Richard (Renee) Hjelmen, South Dakota; nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her nephew Michael John Hjelmen; grandparents.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008 at the First Lutheran Church in Blooming Prairie, Minn., with the Reverend Karl Korbel officiating. Interment will follow the service in First Lutheran Cemetery, rural Blooming Prairie. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 28, at the Worlein-Blooming Prairie Funeral Home in Blooming Prairie and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.