Mae Deloris (Mammenga) Reynolds, of Redwood Falls, Minnesota died on Saturday, June 6, 2026, just 3 weeks after her 100th birthday at Garnette Gardens in Redwood Falls. Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls with burial to follow at Peace Memorial Gardens in rural Redwood Falls. Visitation will be held from 9:30 until 11:00 a.m. at the church. The Nelson-Hillestad Funeral and Cremation Service of Redwood Falls and Morgan are in charge of the arrangements. The family prefers all memorials to go to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls, Minnesota.
Mae was born on May 11, 1926 to Henry and Minnie (Heidemann) Mammenga near Lamberton, Minnesota. She grew up on her family farm, where she looked after and worked side by side with her younger siblings – 4 sisters and 1 brother. Mae had a strong work ethic and after her first job as a nanny at 15 years old, she would say “I put my best into the job and always did my best at anything after that job.” Mae graduated in 1943 from Wabasso High School and went on to complete Teacher’s Training the following year at Lamberton High School. Mae Always had passion for teaching-whether it was teaching her siblings, her own children, or those at the country school. She worked at Redwood County rural school district #103 starting in September 1944, during which time she lived with the Reynolds family and met Clarence, her future husband. After two years, as Mae was leaving to teach at another school, Clarence asked to visit her once in a while, and they began dating. After two years dating, Mae and Clarence were wed on August 1, 1948. She eventually went back to teach at #103, and she continued to teach there until 1953 when her first son, David, was born. Three years later they welcomed another son, Danny, and then in 1961 a daughter, Darcee. Mae and Clarence worked together on the farm as their three children were growing up. Mae was very proud that on the same farm that she and Clarence met on, they built a registered Holstein dairy herd – with the registered name of Clarmae – from only five heifers. Mae’s children have fond memories of assisting Mae with canning vegetables, as well as the many “casseroles” Mae would make out of whatever she could find in the fridge, along with a sauce on the side (rhubarb, apple, etc..). They enjoyed being outside as a family-whether that be on the farm or taking short camping trips together. They loved to camp even as they got older, often spending winters in Texas. After Clarence’s passing in 1987, she married Myron Borth on January 30, 1993 and they continued to live out in the country until moving into town in 2007. As Mae ‘retired’ from her job as a farmer’s wife she was able to give her time to her other passions. She was a devoted member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls, and very active in Circle. Alter guild, funeral committee, and quilting. She always strived to serve God in any way she could. Mae loved to quilt. She made many quilts throughout her life and continued to sew even after she moved into assisted living. Growing up she learned how to sew from her mother and would sew clothes for herself and her siblings. She carried her love of sewing into motherhood and began to move her focus to quilting. Each of her children and grandchildren have quilts in their homes made by Mae for special moments in their lives (first car, graduation, wedding, etc..).
Mae is survived by her sisters, Betty Welke and Darlene Volz; two children, David (Kim) Reynolds and Darcee Ayers; 4 grandchildren Jennifer (John) Currier, Chirs (Nicole) Ayers, Greg (Emily) Reynolds, Katie (Brett) MacLeod; and 12 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her two loving husbands, Clarence and Myron; her son, Danny; her parents, Henry and Minnie; siblings. Erna Wellnitz, Harold Mammenga, Judy Olson; son-in-law, Jerry Ayers; and many friends that she made over the years.
