Mary Lemon

Mary Jean (Shepard) Lemon passed away on Sunday October 7, 2018 on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary in her home with her family surrounding her. She was so strong in her fight against her diagnosis of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy but has now gone home to be with the Lord. Mary was born August 3, 1934 in Duluth, MN to Florence “Dolly” Erspamer and Edward Shepard. She attended Holy Rosary School and then attended Stanbrook Hall. She graduated from The College of St. Scholastica in nursing. Mary trained in TB Affiliation nursing at Nopeming and then worked at St. Mary’s Hospital. Mary met Charles H. Lemon on his way up to Alaska. He sent her a diamond ring in the mail and they were married on July 21, 1956. She raised eight children and worked with her husband on all his business adventures. She loved to travel and especially enjoyed her visits to the Vatican while attending World Youth Day 2000. Mary had a deep love and devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, the Holy Rosary, St. John Paul II, St. Padre Pio, St. Therese of Lisieux, and fighting for the respect of all human life. She opened her home to everyone and loved having her family around her. She was always there to entertain her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her proudest moments were her grand dinners held every Sunday and especially on the holidays at her house. She volunteered her time at her parish, The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. She loved walking to daily mass and hosting the priests and the sisters at her home for her famous dinners. She looked forward to saying the rosary on Saturday mornings with her rosary group. Faith and Family are what best describe Mary Jean. Her large family and her Catholic faith were her world. She is preceded in death by her parents and sister: Pat Dow, and brothers: Danny and Eddie. She is survived by her sister, Kathleen, her loving husband: Charles, and her eight children, 35 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren. Mary (Gary) Bjorklund: Sonya (Ryan) Morris: Madelyn, Andrew, Emily, Abigail and Ashley, Alysa (Scott) Wishart, and Krista. Ed (Carla) Lemon: LaLainia: Ava and Mia, Charles (Nicole): Henry, Rachel: Jackson, Gina. Lori (Mark) Glad: Regina (Nathan) Fodness: Elizabeth and Lucas, Jennifer Baudeck: Ellie, Sophia, and Benjamin, Karen, Patricia, Mary Catherine, Lora and Margaret: Mike (Sue) Lemon: Alex, Sara, Joseph, and Anna. Jeanne (Rick) Hencley: Michael, Ricky, and Nicole. (Brett and Eric) Tommy (Leslie) Lemon: Samuel, Nathaniel, Joshua, and Lily. Kari (Dan) Landgren: Maria, Theresa, Thomas, Anthony, and Daniel. Charles “Chip” (Rhonda) Lemon:  Christian, Nicholas, Jonathon, Julia, and Alison. We want to extend our greatest appreciation to all the wonderful people who took care of Mary. To her PSP Specialist, Danielle Koenig at Health East, Dr. Buresh and his team at the St. Luke’s Wound Care Clinic, All of the nurses at Hearthstone Home Health Care, Dr. LaMaster of P.S. Rudie for taking the time to stop and see her at home, Harvey at Touch of Plasch for doing her hair every week for over 30 years, and Kristine Hegman who was her care companion but most importantly her close friend. In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial to The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary and/or Stella Maris Academy Holy Rosary Campus.  Visitation will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday Oct 11, at Dougherty Funeral Home in Duluth.  Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m. Friday Oct 12, at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth.  Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home Duluth, 218-727-3555.