Gay Mary Edwards

Gay Mary Edwards, age 72, of rural Nicollet, died Thursday, February 23, 2017, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester after a long illness.

Gay wished for no formal visitation or service. A private family graveside will be held at Vernon Center Cemetery in the Spring. Memorials preferred to BENCHS in Mankato, a charity very important to her. Mankato Mortuary assisted with arrangements.

Gay was born March 28, 1944 to Lloyd E. and Leah Dorothy (Morris) Russ in Mankato. She graduated from Wellcome Memorial High School in Garden City in 1962. Gay was a longtime employee of Kato Engineering.

She loved her pets at the farm in Nicollet. Since 1978, the farm has always had a wonderful assortment of animal friends. Horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, cats, dogs, and chickens. She also loved spending time with her family and friends, drinking coffee, making yummy food to share, shopping trips to New Ulm, and going to craft shows. She loved to talk and laugh about the TV show Seinfeld with her daughter, listen to Blake Shelton, and feed the many wild life that came to the farm.

Gay is survived by her daughter, Vicki Edwards-Merton and her husband, Wilfred “Chip” R. Merton III of Hastings; brothers, Tony Russ (Lois Schweim) of Mankato and Greg (Carol) Russ of Lake Crystal; many nieces and nephews. She had good friends that she cared for deeply. Jim and Roberta Johnson of Mankato were like family to her and were always there for her when needed.

Gay was preceded in death by her parents and the love of her life, Frank Edwards.

Gay’s family would like to especially thank the staff and caregivers at Laurels Peak and Mayo Clinic Health System of Mankato and Rochester for the care which Gay received over the last year.