Rachel Lysne, 72

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Rachel Catherine Lysne died at her home in Logansville, Ga., on Jan. 21, 2010. She was 72 years old.
Rachel attended Devaraux School District 91 in rural Hayward through eighth grade. She graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1956 and attended Mankato Business College on a scholarship.
She never married. Her first job was at International Harvester in St. Paul and then worked for Dr. Arthur Upgren, head of the Economics Department at Macalester College until he retired. Her next move was San Francisco to work for Foremost Dairy Research and Development Corp. Rachel moved back to Minnesota. For a position at the Edina Police Department. In 1987 she moved to Georgia to work for the United States Department of Disease Control and Prevention until her retirement.
Rachel enjoyed computer crossword puzzles, cooking and sewing. She played piano, organ and accordian. She belonged to an art collectors group and supported the arts community.
Preceded in death by parents, Martin and Marvyle Lysne; sisters: Edith Guritz, Doris Wayne and Sarah Lunde; and brother-in-laws: John Guritz and Charles Medd.
Survivors include sisters: Marjorie (Palmer) Thompson and Rebecca Medd of Albert Lea, Alice (Albert) Friedrich of Williamsburg, Va., Grace (Gerald) Skaar of Albert Lea, and Ruby Armstrong of Virginia Beach, Va.; brother-in-law, Harold Lunde of Bowling Green, Ohio; and only brother, Maurice (Henrietta) Lysne of rural Hayward; and many nieces and nephews.
Rachel was active in fund raising for veterans organizations and the Salvation Army.
She suffered with lung cancer. Her request to die at home was carried out with the help of hospice and family visits. A niece, Connie Williams, was with her for several days and sister, Grace, stayed with her to the end.
Rachel had arranged to be cremated, her ashes scattered on Stone Mountain in Georgia and asked that there be no memorial services.