Mary Ann Lunde, age 75, of Crystal, Minn., entered into God’s final great adventure on March 14, 2016.

The only child of Ivan and Pearl Lunde, she grew up on a small dairy and tobacco farm near Westby, Wis. An avid reader from childhood, Mary soon felt the pull of a bigger world filled with people to meet, places to go and things to do. At Luther College, Mary found lifelong friends, began to shape her progressive political views, and received a life-changing opportunity to study and travel abroad. Those things, plus a love of all things New Orleans - especially Jazz - set the themes for much of Mary's life journey.

In the early 1980's, to her own great surprise, Mary encountered God's grace and heard God's call to ministry. She enrolled at Luther-Northwestern Seminary and graduated in 1987. She was ordained on Sept. 18, 1988. Pastor Mary served parishes in Fergus Falls, Minn., Jacksonville Iowa, and Brooten, Minn. Mary thought of these years as the most significant part of her life. She enjoyed the people, felt privileged to share in some of their most important occasions and was sent out every day to proclaim the miracle of God’s love and forgiveness for you and me and the whole human family - yes, we’re family all God’s loved children! Think about that. As Mary often said “it’s always the same sermon – there’s only one – God’s saving love for all proclaimed in a million ways, Amen.”

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Ivan and Pearl Lunde, her grandparents, two good friends Rosemary Oftelie and Joan Monti. Survived by Rosemary's children, Joel Bjorkquist, Sarah Oftelie, and Julie Oftelie, who have also been family to Mary, and her Luther College family who have brought so much support, care and friendship. “Takk for Alt!” Burial was at Westby-Coon Prairie Cemetery. A memorial gathering was held March 19, 2016, at Pub 42, New Hope, for sharing stories and a meal. Memorials preferred to donor's choice.