Mary Macmillan

Mary Beth (Nyquist) (Birkeland) MacMillan, age 82, of Pine River, passed away Saturday, November 9, 2019, at Golden Horizons in Crosslake. She was born February 14, 1937, in Crookston, MN, to Andrew and Artha Nyquist.

Mary Beth graduated from Oklee High School and Concordia College. In college, she worked at Breezy Point Resort and Birkeland’s Bay Lake Lodge. After college, she taught Home Economics at Columbia Heights High School. In 1969 she moved to Pequot Lakes with the purchase of Lakeland State Bank. As she made her new home in lake country, she was known for being a gracious hostess and a superb cook. Her chocolate chip oatmeal cookies will be missed by her grandchildren. Every summer she spent many hours tending to her lovely flowers.

Mary Beth was active in the community through her memberships in P.E.O., Brainerd Service League and the Crosslake Historical Society.

Mary Beth is survived by her sons, Peter Birkeland (Lizabeth) and Robert Birkeland (Jennifer); grandchildren: Andrew, Peter Nels, Genevieve and Tollef; sister-in-law, Mary Karen Birkeland; brother-in-law, Roger Durkee; nephews: Philip Durkee (Pam), John Durkee (Annette), Jonathan Birkeland (Lana); nieces, Karen Zeile (Kim) and Jennifer Swenson (Peter). She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Glenn Birkeland and Glenn MacMillan; sister, Norma Durkee; and brother-in-law, David Birkeland.

Services will be 11 AM on Friday, November 22, at Crosslake Lutheran Church. Visitation will be 5 to 7 PM on Thursday, November 21, at Kline Funeral Home, Pequot Lakes, and one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in Our Savior’s Cemetery, Pequot Lakes.