Gretchen Healy (Hamar)

Preceded in death by husband, John “Jake” Healy of 61 years; parents, John Newton Hamar and Nina Rupprecht Hamar; sister-in-law, Colleen Healy; brothers-in-law, Tim Healy, Robert “Boots” Healy, Peter “Becca” Healy and Juan Mentink; nephew, Jim Healy; and niece, Liz Healy.

She is survived by brother-in-law, Michael Healy (Irene); and sisters-in-law, Mary Mentink, Mary S. Healy, and Ingrid Lynch.

She will be sadly missed by her seven children and eighteen grandchildren, Margaret (Mike) Pickard, Susan (Mehdi) Rafian, Rev. Daniel Healy, Paul (Tico) Healy, Joan Healy (John Andrastek), Peter (Cole) Healy, and Rebecca Healy; Grandchildren, Claire, Joseph, Luke and George Pickard; Jahan, Ehsan, Paymon, Arman, and Kian Rafian; Shane and Ryan Healy; Sam, Henry, Bridget, Alice and Elizabeth Andrastek; Olin and Victoria Healy. Aunt Gretchen was much loved by her many nieces and nephews.

Gretchen was born in Laurium, raised in Houghton, graduated from Houghton High School, and later from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a B.S. in occupational therapy. Her desire for adventure and travel led her to pursue O.T. clinical internships in Los Angeles, Virginia, Hawaii, and the Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Milwaukee, and she would remind you she was in Hawaii before it became a state.

Jake and Gretchen were married in 1958 and raised their family in St Paul. While raising seven children in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Gretchen pursued a wide range of interests including courses in millinery, drapery-making, upholstery, bridge, and of course, mushrooms. She was a member of the MN Mycological Society and you may have seen her after a spring rain foraging for mushrooms in local yards. Thank you to her “gourmet chef” grandsons, Paymon Rafian, and especially Henry Andrastek, who took care of her in her final months, as well as beloved daughter Becky, who stayed with her until the end.

Memories of Gretchen may be sent to the family at G3Healy@comcast.net. Rather than flowers, donations suggested to: Catholic Charities, 1200 2nd Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55403, or St. Paul Healthcare for the Homeless, 438 Main St., Saint Paul, MN 55102. Services have been held.