Mary Elaine Krenik

Mary E. Krenik, age 67 of Cleveland, MN, left this earthly home the evening of Monday, November 11, 2024 at the Rivers Edge hospital in St. Peter. Memorial Service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 22, 2024 at the United Methodist Church in Le Sueur. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, November 21, 2024 at the Kolden Funeral Home in Le Sueur, and continued one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at a later date in Greenwood Union Cemetery in Le Center, MN.

Mary Elaine entered this earthly world on May 1, 1957 in Litchfield, MN. She always proudly said she was born on a national holiday, just not an American holiday. Her parents were Rev. Edwin and Geneva (Bostrom) Bissell. Mary spent most of her elementary years in Slayton and high school years in Atkin, she played tenor saxophone in the stage and concert band. In her senior year, Mary was cast as a member of the Pick-a-Little-ladies in the school’s presentation of “The Music Man.”

Graduating from Atkin High School in 1975, Mary entered Hamline University in St. Paul. In 1977, Mary had the honor of touring England as a member of the Hamline A Cappella Choir, which she would always remind you whenever talk about London came up. She became a Certified Nursing Assistant in May of 1981, Mary graduated Hamline in the spring of 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Following in the steps of her father, grandfather John and uncle Jay, she decided to serve Christ by becoming a minister and attended United Theological Seminary in New Brighton, MN and received her Master of Divinity degree in May in 1986. She was then ordained a deacon in the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and served in Duluth until she was moved to serve the Le Center/Cleveland areas. It was there that Mary was told of a young, single hog farmer.

Doug and Mary were married February 12, 1995 in the Le Center United Methodist Church. They honeymooned in Cancun and moved into Doug’s home on the farm. Together, they built a life on the farm with their two children, Christopher and Annie. Mary devoted herself to serving as a mother and wife, while also helping Doug on the farm. Throughout the years, their family traveled to many different places, including; Ireland, London, Toronto, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Mary and Doug found pleasure in taking many road-trips.

She loved theater, and she and Doug had season tickets to the plays at the Mankato State University for nearly 20 years. Mary and Doug attended plays at the Guthrie, Ordway, Orpheum and especially enjoyed going to small community theaters in the area.

Mary is survived by her husband of almost 30 years, Douglas of Cleveland, MN; children, Christopher Krenik of Le Sueur, and Annie Krenik of London; sister, Nancy Kienbaum of Whitewater, WI; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents and brother, John Bissell (2009).