Margery Stratte Swanson

Margery Stratte Swanson died peacefully at Saint Therese hospice in Shoreview, MN on July 28, 2025, eleven days shy of her 100th birthday. Margery was born August 8, 1925, to Alf K. Stratte, M.D. and Margret Schwirtz Stratte.

Margery grew up in Pine City, MN. During her teenage years, the family moved away to Louisiana while her father served in World War II. She came back to Pine City to graduate from high school. While Margery was a lifeguard at the Pine City beach, a young man named Bayliss Swanson - who couldn’t swim – came to the beach and worked up the courage to ask the local doctor’s daughter out for a date. Margery thought he was fun and said yes. That first date led to many more, including nights dancing at Pine Camp. They married in 1950.

Margery was a proud graduate of Carleton College in 1949 with a major in zoology. She began her career as a bacteriologist at Mayo Clinic, testing urine of the famous and not so famous.

She and Bayliss moved to Minneapolis as Bayliss completed pharmacy school. After a brief time back in Pine City as Bayliss began his pharmacy career, they purchased Molitor Drug in St. Cloud, MN in 1959. Margery helped expand the business into Molitor Drug and Gifts, which operated until 1979. They also owned the shop What Now in downtown St. Cloud during the late 60s.

Throughout her life Margery was a life-long learner. She enrolled in a French class at St. Cloud State University to improve her crossword puzzle skills. This led to more classes, befriending classmates half her age, and often inviting them home for dinner. She began exploring fiber art and art history and she earned a Master of Art degree with a concentration in weaving in 1986.

She was awarded an armful of blue ribbons at the Pine County Fair and Minnesota State Fair for her weavings, quilts, handknit sweaters, and other fiber art works.

Margery and Bayliss retired to Pine City in 1998. They helped launch the Pine City Library Foundation and supported the Pine City Area History Association. She served on the boards of the East Central Regional Library and the East Central Arts Council, and she was treasurer of Trinity Episcopal Church in Hinckley. She was named Citizen of the Year by the Pine City Area Chamber of Commerce in 2017.

Margery loved classical music, antiques, fiber art, soap operas, reading, playing April Fools pranks on her children (short-sheeting beds, stuffing cotton into her homemade donuts, and sewing pajama arms shut), and the color red.

She is remembered for her mischievous wit, hilarious homemade Christmas letters, and discreetly telling her children to FHB (Family Hold Back) when she hadn’t prepared enough food for guests.

Margery is survived by her children, Margret Swanson (Mark Muellerleile), Peter Swanson, Mary Clare Swanson, and Elisabeth Raasch (Don); her grandchildren, Peter and Elise Muellerleile, Clare, Anne and Paul Bayliss Jensen, and Charles, Margret (Raasch) Windebank, and Teddy Raasch; her great granddaughter, Lucy Raasch; her brother, Jon Stratte, M.D., sister-in-law, Sonja Thiry; other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bayliss; and her brother, Alf K. Stratte, Jr.

Memorials preferred to the:
Pine City Library Foundation
300 5th Street SE
Pine City MN 55063

Rev. Randy Johnson will officiate funeral services for Margery: 11 AM; Saturday, August 9, 2025 with a time of visitation for family and friends one-hour prior to the service, all at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church of Roseville. Margery will be interred Saturday afternoon in the Birchwood Cemetery of Pine City.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the: Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City ~ Swanson Chapel

www.FuneralAndCremationService.com