Mary Roseann (McDougall) Malmin

Mary Roseann Malmin, beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away peacefully on January 26, 2021 at the CentraCare Nursing Home in Monticello, MN. She was 89.

Roseann was born on July 6, 1931 to Wallace McDougall and Mayme McVeety. She grew up in the small central Minnesota community of Royalton, along with her two older brothers, Bill and Smokey (real name: Nelson), a younger brother named John, and a younger sister named Kathleen. (Another sister named Katheryn, twin to Kathleen, died as a baby.) Roseann often described her childhood as happy and normal, despite it spanning both the Depression and World War II.

Everything changed for Roseann in 1949, when a tall, handsome stranger came to town. His name was Thelmer Malmin and he was there to build a highway called US 10. The two crazy kids fell in love and got married a few months later. Thus began the vagabond phase of their life together: moving from job to job, building Minnesota’s infrastructure, and living in a tiny travel trailer. It was during this time that their first two sons — Scott (1952) and Kim (1954) — were born.

When their oldest child was ready to begin school, the family moved back to Royalton to put down roots. It was during this period that their remaining three children — Jay (1959), Russ (1961), and Tammy (1965) — were born. Unfortunately, most of the work available to Thelmer at that time was in the Twin Cities. That meant that he could be home only on weekends and Roseann was left to raise their five rapscallions pretty much on her own. That problem was addressed in 1968 when the family moved to Coon Rapids, MN. After a few years there, the nest became less crowded as the two older boys finished school and moved out.

Thelmer, Roseann, and their shrinking family moved a couple of more times: to Alexandria, MN to try their hand at running a motel and finally to Ramsey, MN to enjoy a well-earned retirement. Theirs was an active retirement, however, that included volunteer work at the American Legion in Elk River and winter get-aways to Florida, Hawaii, and Arizona. But the good times ended in 1995 when Thelmer, Roseann’s beloved husband of 45 years, passed away.

Roseann continued to live in her Ramsey home for another dozen years, but then moved to Monticello to be closer to family. At that point she could no longer do much traveling, but she continued her volunteer work. In fact, she served ice cream every Friday to nursing home residents—many younger than herself—at the very same facility where she would eventually spend the final months of her life.

Roseann is survived by her five children: William Scott Malmin and his wife Cindy of Shell Lake, WI; Oliver Kim Malmin of Monticello; Jay Darrel Malmin and his wife Susan of Denver, CO; Russel David Malmin and his girlfriend Bonnie Rotering of Coon Rapids; and Tammy Renee Anderson of Monticello. She is also survived by seven grandchildren (Brandon, Shawn, Sadie, and Joshua Malmin; Kierstien Fetzek; Kyle Silberg; and Nicholas Anderson) and ten great grandchildren.

Due to current events, there will be no funeral for Roseann. Instead, the family will host a gathering this summer to remember her and to honor her life. Her remains will be interred in the Royalton Riverside Cemetery, next to those of her husband.

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