Mavis Hintermeister

Mavis Jean Hintermeister…

was born to Simon and Irene (Harman) VanderLee on December 16, 1933 in Boyden, Iowa. As a young girl, she moved with her family to Lake Wilson, Minnesota where she attended five years of country school, usually walking the 3 miles, sometimes riding her horse, Patsy. In those years she majored in tree climbing, as well as silos and windmills. She graduated in 1951 from Lake Wilson High School. On November 15, 1952, she was married to James Hintermeister at her parent’s farm near Lake Wilson. Following their marriage, they moved to Slayton, Minnesota for a short time. In November of 1954, with Jan about a year old, they moved to a farm outside of Avoca, Minnesota, a move that many years later she would call, the Dreadful Move. They moved off the farm in February, 1961 when they moved into Slayton and a nomadic life where they spent 3½ years in four different rental homes, moving permanently to Pipestone in 1964 where Mavis lived the rest of her life. Mavis worked various part-time jobs while raising her children. Those jobs included work with Dr. Pierson at the medical clinic as a receptionist and cleaning the autoclave at night, and working down the street in the Sale Barn office on Thursdays while in Slayton. In the Pipestone years, Mavis spent time at Shirlee’s Boutique where she worked with customers, but also did some custom sewing. In her middle years, she tinkered with some night classes in healthcare and watched patients on overnights; and she also worked in Russell Tobias’ Chiropractic Office. On January 24, 2022, Mavis was admitted to the Pipestone County Medical Center. She died there on Friday, January 28, 2022 at the age of 88 years, one month and 12 days.

Mavis was a member of Faith Community Church in Pipestone where she sang in the choir, attended Bible studies, and zealously involved herself with social mingling in the Homebuilders. She was also in a book club, women’s trio and was an Awana leader. She sang with the Al Opland Singers for many years. She enjoyed quilting, crocheting, knitting, reading, painting, listening to classical radio, fishing and doing puzzles. She loved creating food dishes and loved to dress nicely. When she was younger, she liked roller skating and bowling. Mavis was an encourager, a nurturer and a night owl. She was an economizer and a bargain hunter. She was an early adopter of technology and enjoyed emailing and texting family and friends as those technologies became available. Mavis was often heard to exclaim… “Oh, How Wonderful”. She fostered cats and dogs and loved them dearly. Most importantly, she valued her faith in Jesus.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband, James Hintermeister of Pipestone; five children, Jan Hintermeister of Santa Clara, California; Kim Hintermeister and his wife, Carol of St. Cloud, Minnesota; Von Hintermeister and his wife, Nalukui of Chester, New York; Fay Morgan and her husband, Mike of Pipestone; and Amy Uhls of Franklin, Kentucky; 12 grandchildren, Lea Berg, Emi Scherer, Andrea, Nathaniel & Abigail Hintermeister, Jonathan & Christopher Morgan, Elizabeth Olson, Benjamin & Zachary Morgan, Robert Uhls, Jazmine Moody; and 15 greatgrandchildren - Hawkin, Freya, & Inga Berg, Sophie, Corbin, Nora & Ruby Scherer, Arthur Morgan, Simon, Roman & Willa Morgan, Saul & Louisa Morgan, Liam Moody, and Teslynn Jenkins and she was anticipating the birth of number 16. She was preceded in death by her parents; child siblings, Frances & Russell; sister, Audrey Bose; brother, Randy VanderLee; and two brothers-in-law, Jack Heuer and Norman Bose.

A private family funeral service will be held at Faith Community Church in Pipestone. Please see details below regarding the public visitation being held for Mavis.