OBITUARY: Mary Guyer
Mary Dosdall Guyer, 88, of Boca Grande, formerly Saint Paul, Minn., went to heaven peacefully surrounded by her loving family and caregivers.
Memories of Mary Guyer from Her Children:
Our Mom, Mary Dosdall Guyer, was born December 24, 1934. She was a Christmas Eve gift to her parents, Chester and Marie Dosdall and her older brothers, Chester (Bud) and Tom. She grew up in Saint Paul on Summit Avenue and spent summers on Manitou Island in White Bear Lake.
Sadly, at age 14, Mom lost her father to a sudden heart attack. She and Grandma became a dynamic duo and the best of friends for life. As a teenager, she attended a dance school where she met Dad, Reyn Guyer, and he became the love of her life in high school (Saint Paul Academy/Summit School). After high school, Mom attended Pine Manor, a small college in Massachusetts, to be close to Dad at Dartmouth. She graduated in 1955 with a degree in nursery school instruction and taught for two years in Saint Paul. Mom and Dad were married June 28th of 1957. Lisa, their honeymoon baby, was born March 1958. Marie (Ree), Katie, Cindy and Tom followed, each two years apart. They settled in White Bear Lake and later moved to Mendota Heights so we could attend Convent of the Visitation school.
One of the greatest decisions that Mom championed was to buy a cabin on Big Bear Lake in Wisconsin. We learned to sail, fish, waterski and played endless board games. The cabin secured some of the best memories of our childhood and celebrated the importance of family.
In the 1970’s, Mom became a health food nut. She made homemade granola, bran muffins, and grew her own bean sprouts. She taught us the importance of healthy eating . Mom loved yoga and introduced us to every new exercise fad of the ‘70s. We often traveled as a family, making lifetime memories. We went to the Caribbean, Jamaica, Mexico, and took a six-week U.S. road trip in a station wagon. Mom and Dad enjoyed a trip around the world and had a favorite house they rented in St. Barth’s every year. Mom was known for being organized and meticulous. She ran our household with remarkable ease while always giving back to her community and encouraging us to do the same. She regularly volunteered at the Children’s Hospital and chaired numerous galas for The Children’s Hospital Guild. Mom loved her family fiercely and was very proud to have raised confident, happy, successful children.
At an event celebrating the success of one of her children, she was asked who she knew at the party and proudly said, “I produced the President of the company.” In 1984 Mom and Dad fell in love with Boca Grande, Gasparilla Island in South Florida and made it their home. They quickly became a part of the small community. In 2015, they followed their daughters Katie and Ree to Shell Lake and bought a summer home there. Mom and Dad’s love story was a beautiful one. They adored and respected each other and made an amazing team. They had an enviable partnership. They cuddled everyday until the end. Mom lived her life with elegance and grace; we only heard her swear once! She was beautiful, kind, compassionate, strong, fair, always the voice of reason, and very practical. She made solid decisions, and family always came first. Mom was the foundation of our family, our rock, and she will be deeply missed.
Mom is survived by our Dad, Reyn Guyer, and their five children and spouses, Lisa Guyer-Rooney (Dan), Ree (Jeff) Wiltgen, Katie (Steve) Grego, Cindy and Tom (Brenda) Guyer, ten grandchildren and spouses, Colin (Nichole) Peltier, Kathryn and Thomas Rooney, Dillon (Lauren) Donovan, Maurna (Boo) Crosby, Murphy (Carly) Donovan, Tricia and George Donovan, Mary and Elise Breckman, and Stephen Grego, seven great grandchildren, Kailyn and Adelyn Peltier, Emmy, Maisie and Jack Donovan, Laine Donovan and McCann Crosby, beloved nieces and nephews and many lifetime friends. A special thank you to Mom’s caregivers, Teri, Michele, Stephanie, Erin, and Bailey for the outstanding care you gave to Mom. You have become family. Thank you Vicki from Our Lady of Peace Hospice for your amazing care in Mom’s final days.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday March 28 at Assumption Catholic Church, 51 W. 7th street, St. Paul.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the Boca Grande Health Clinic. bghc.org/donate/
