Mavis Blume

Almeta Mavis Blume, age 97, passed away March 4, 2024, at the Barrett Care Center surrounded by her loving family.  Mavis lived her life to the fullest as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandma, great-grandma, aunt, friend and parishioner.  She will be remembered for being an exceptional woman in more ways than can be recounted here.  Those who knew her were the benefactors of her kindness, her caring, her encouragement, and her nurturing ways.  She was hard working and treasured her time with family.

Mavis was born the first child of Charlie and Ella Simpson, in Graceville, MN, on September 21, 1926.   When she was one year old, the family moved to a farm in Eldorado Township eight miles south of Herman.   Mavis attended grade school in District 35, one half mile north of their home.  Whatever the weather, the kids walked to school every day.  Many days her dad walked them to school.  Being the oldest, Mavis helped her dad with chores and farm work.  She graduated from Herman High School in 1944.  She tried a job in Minneapolis working for Northwestern Bell, but didn’t enjoy city living.  She came back home and worked at the Ag School in Morris as a dining room worker.   She met Leonard Blume on a blind date, and they were later married on October 3, 1945.  They lived on a farm with Leonard’s parents for a time, and moved to a farm two miles north in 1949.  In 1954, they purchased their own farm north of Herman, where they lived until 1976.   They were blessed with six children:   Neil in 1948, Dale in 1950, Lois in 1953, Alan in 1956, John in 1958 and Karl in 1963.  On the farm, the kids helped with taking care of milk cows, beef cattle and lots of pigs.

Mavis had many enjoyments in her life.  Her family was number one with her.  She attended all her children’s school events, and encouraged them to do their best.   She enjoyed sewing (especially mending), cooking, gardening, knitting, crocheting, and loved fishing.  Mavis and Leonard took many fishing trips in Minnesota and Canada.  They also traveled around the United States visiting relatives and sightseeing.  She spent many hours through the years helping out at her church.  Mavis’s strong faith and quiet determination carried her through the best and toughest times.  

Mavis loved her family.   She is survived by children:  Neil (Pat) Blume of Herman; Dale (Debbie) Blume of Norcross; Lois (Terry) Bartell of Herman; John (Annette) Blume of Fergus Falls; and Karl (Paula) Blume of Ottawa, Ontario; grandchildren:  Darin (Karla) Blume, Michael (Audra) Bartell, Dana (Katy) Blume, Steven (Amanda) Blume, Christa (Chris) Howell, Dominic (Charlene) Blume, Kevin (Ronda) Blume, Bryan (MacKenzie) Blume, Nancy (Brandon) Solberg, Joshua (Kelsie) Blume, Maria Blume, Hannah (Mikael) VahnDijk, Luke Blume, John Blume, and Lauren Blume; twenty-eight great-grandchildren; brother, Lowell Simpson of Chokio; sister, Cheryl (Bob) Retrum of Willmar: and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mavis was preceded in death by parents, John Charles and Ella (Brunkow) Simpson; husband Leonard; son Alan; grandson Christopher Blume; great-granddaughter McKinley Blume; sister Joyce Hanson; brother Maurice Simpson; brother-in-law Neil Hanson; sisters-in-law Millicent Simpson and Barbara Simpson; maternal grandparents Ferdinand and Minnie (Schuman) Brunkow; and paternal grandparents Roy and Elfrieda (Boeger) Simpson.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Herman United Methodist Church in Herman, Minnesota with Rev. Heather E. Klason officiating. Pianist will be Olivia Richards. Interment will be in Lakeside Cemetery, rural Herman. Pallbearers will be Mavis's grandchildren. Visitation will be held Friday, March 8th from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Herman United Methodist Church. Visitation will continue Saturday morning one hour prior to service time at the church. 

In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the Herman United Methodist Church, 306 Hanover Avenue S., Herman, MN 56248.