Mabel C. (Wrolson) Lea

Mabel "May" Lea, age 82 of Brooten, died Monday, December 3, 2018 at the Belgrade Nursing Home. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Saturday, December 8, 2018 at Sunburg Free Lutheran Church in rural Sunburg with Rev. Ron Knutson officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. on Friday at the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Brooten and will continue at the church from 2:00 – 3:00 P.M. on Saturday. Interment will be in South Lake Johanna Lutheran Church Cemetery in rural Brooten. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Brooten.

Mabel “May” Clarice (Wrolson) Lea was born September 20, 1936 in rural Belgrade, Minnesota. She was the youngest of three daughters born to Alfred and Onette (Overby) Wrolson. May was baptized and confirmed at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Brooten and attended Brooten public school.

On July 7, 1952, May was united in marriage to Odin Lea. May and Odin were blessed with four sons: Owen, Douglas, Dennis and Arnold. May served on the Norway Lake Community Chest Board. She was a member of South Lake Johanna Lutheran where she was active in the ladies aid, secretary, and historian, was the superintendent of Sunday school as well as taught Sunday school for many years. From 1970-1980, May and Odin were part of the Joyful Messengers music team. In 1988, May became the organist at the Brooten Presbyterian Church and worked with their music program for Sunday school. Over the years, May was also the organist for Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Crow Lake Free Lutheran Church, Belgrade Methodist, Sunburg Free Lutheran and the Belgrade Nursing Home for Wednesday services. She and Odin volunteered for sing-a-longs at nursing homes, sang and played at many funerals.

May will be remembered for her love for the Lord, her family, friends and believing there is a message in Christian music. She enjoyed making bouquets, quilts and prayer fellowships. She felt young people should know Jesus as their Savior and enjoyed sharing this message and her home with her son’s friends. She enjoyed being a driver if someone needed to go somewhere and feeding the birds. She especially loved spending time with her children and grandchildren.

She is survived by her sons: Owen (Sue) Lea of Spicer, Dennis Lea of Brooten and Arnold Lea of Sunburg; granddaughters, Anna (Erik Richgels) Lea and Michelle (Ben) Markwardt; 4 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

May was preceded in death by her parents; husband Odin in 2005; son, Douglas in 1977; and sisters and their husbands, Olga (Melvin) Wollwage and Alma (Oscar) Medalen.

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