Muriel D. Schwartz, 84, of Austin, Minn., died Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2013, at Mayo Clinic Health Systems of Austin.

Muriel was born on Aug. 12, 1929, in Blooming Prairie, Minn., to Raymond and LaVera Christofferson. She graduated from Austin High School in 1947. Muriel married Norman Schwartz on Nov. 9, 1947, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dexter, Minn..

Muriel was a “Red Hat Lady,” a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the hospital auxiliary. For many years, Muriel ran “Cakes by Muriel” making wedding cakes. She was very active in the garden club and the card club. In her spare time, she did a lot of genealogy research. She loved flowers, especially orchids. Muriel enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, grandson Tony Schwartz and sister Marjorie.

Muriel is survived by her husband, Norman Schwartz, of Austin; children: Carol and Don Jesness, of Eagan, Minn.; Ronnie and Patty Schwartz, of Eagan; Steve and Dellene Schwartz, of Austin; Cindy and Michael Taylor, of Inver Grove Heights, Minn.; Cathy and Kevin Kruse, of Garner, Iowa; 15 grandchildren, four-plus great-grandchildren; siblings: Darrel (Marian) Richards, of Duluth; Sharon (Keith) Barnes, of Austin; Delores Moe, of Walker, Minn.; Phyllis (Tom) Paulson, of Austin; Mary (Jim) Herrick, of Austin; Barbara Deatherage, of Wichita Falls, Texas; Frank (Sally) Richards, of Ridgecrest, Calif.; Floyd Richards, of Calif.; Everett (Ann) Richards, of Elba, Ala.; LaDonna (Art) Sorensen, of Waltham, Minn.; nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2013, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church with the Reverend Ted Barthels officiating. Interment will be in Grandview Cemetery.  Visitation will be at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary on Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. and at the church for one hour before the service on Monday morning.