Sister Marilyn (Mary) Micke, age 102, was called home on December 11, 2020 at St. Scholastica Monastery in her 83rd year of consecrated life. She was born June 11, 1918 to Theodore and Jennie (Verbeten) Micke, the youngest of six children.
As teacher, principal, superintendent, and educational innovator, she used her faith, vision, creativity, and love of people to empower others to use their gifts in service. She was instrumental in bringing Operation Aware, a prototype of the D.A.R.E program, into Duluth’s parochial schools. Operation Aware teaches young people to make positive choices and resist risky behavior. In 1992, she became Executive Director of Operation Aware.
Sister Marilyn felt blessed to be able to carry on her ministries for a long time, saying, “The challenge of life is to learn the art of being all you can be at any age.” This she did all her life, so that we can declare, “Let her works praise her in the gates” (Proverbs 31:31).
She was preceded in death by her parents and five brothers and sisters: Theodore W. (Albena) Micke, Gertrude (Paul) Liesen, Anthony (Thelma) Micke, Germaine (John) Lamers, and Gregory (Angela) Micke. She is survived by her Benedictine Community, including her niece Sister Pauline Micke, and numerous nephews, nieces, relatives, and friends.
Wake, Morning Prayer (9:30 a.m.), and funeral Mass (11:00 a.m.) will be held on Monday, December 21 in Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel at the Monastery, with Father William Fider as Presider. Interment is at Gethsemane Cemetery. Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 E 2nd St, Duluth, MN 55805, 218-727-3555.
Because of public health restrictions, the funeral is private but will be livestreamed beginning at 9:30 am on the Benedictine Monastery of Duluth https://www.facebook.com/DuluthMonastery and Dougherty Funeral Home’s Facebook page: https://facebook.com/dfhduluth/. Memorials are preferred to St. Scholastica Monastery.
