Obituary for Mary Mae Jorgensen Alexander

Alexander, Mary Mae, daughter of the late Anton Marinus and Philomena Fae Fah Jorgensen, was born in Bluestem, Washington, on May 15, 1938. Mary peacefully passed away of natural causes on December 19, 2022. She was 84 years old.

As a young girl, Mary lived in Portland, Oregon. Then moved to Spokane, Washington. She worked on a farm and spent her summers helping cook for harvesters on a ranch. She enjoyed roller skating with her sisters. In 1956, Mary graduated from Anchorage High school in Anchorage, Alaska. While in high school, she won a few art awards and had an art piece on display at the Fur Rendezvous event. Mary was a lieutenant in the Alaska Civil Air Patrol and was in the drill team. She left Alaska and moved to Waterloo, Iowa, to live with her twin sister, Martha. She met and married Sam Alexander and they had three children. Mary was active in St. Mary’s church while living in Waterloo, making uniforms for numerous students and she cooked for special events. She worked as a cook at Chamberlain Manufacturing, and Pepper’s. In 2010 Mary moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she continued to follow her passion of cooking at Classic Market, eventually retiring from her Kitchen Manager role.  In 2020 she moved to Rochester, Minnesota. Mary always stayed active in the church and served on numerous church and residence committees. She loved her family, the Lord, cooking, baking, sewing, drawing, knitting, and crocheting, and had taught a crocheting class.

Mary leaves to cherish her memory her daughter: Zena (Alexander Oliver) Perkins and her son-in-law, Robert C. Perkins, of Delaware; her sons: Dana Alexander and his wife, Lori, of Rochester, MN; Retired Army Sergeant First Class Sam Alexander and his wife, Yolanda, of Texas; her former daughter-in-law, Tracy Waldman; her grandchildren: Casie Alexander of St. Paul, MN; Quin Alexander of Minneapolis, MN; US Coast Guard 2nd Class Petty Officer Robert C. Oliver of Florida; Samantha E. Oliver of New York, NY; Brian D. (Dantley) Oliver of Freehold, NJ; Sam Alexander III of Columbus, OH; and Maryssa (Dawon) Harvey of Virginia; her 12 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews, her special little pen-pal, and many loving longtime friends. She is also survived by her brother: John A. Jorgensen of Seattle, WA.

Mary was predeceased by her former husband; her sisters: Fay Ludwig, Martha Penticoff, and Patricia Kessler; and a niece: Angela Thiem.

A memorial service and celebration of Mary’s life is planned for Wednesday, January 11, at noon CST at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2300 Viola Heights Drive NE, Rochester, MN.