Mary P. Ness, age 66, of rural Kellogg, Minn., died Friday morning, Nov. 26, 2004, at her home with her loving family at her side.

She was born July 22, 1938, in Freeborn County, the daughter of Martin and Clara (Sipple) Whelan. She was a graduate of Ellendale High School. She married Daryl E. Nielsen April 8, 196,1 at St. Theodore’s Catholic Church in Albert Lea. The family lived in Rochester, Stewartville, and Dover before moving to rural Kellogg in 1975.

Together they owned and operated Nielsen’s Tree Farm on lower Sand Prairie, southeast of Kellogg.

Mary was also a homemaker. Her husband died suddenly on Oct. 20, 1996.

Mary continued to live at the tree farm and operate it with her son, Steve, after Daryl’s death. She married Wayne Ness on Sept. 5, 1998, at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Kellogg and they lived at the farm.

Mary was a member of St. Agnes Catholic Church and a faithful member of the church choir. She was a member of the Kellogg American Legion Auxiliary.

She was also an active member of the Nelson, Wis.,. Lions Club where she made several trips to Mexico doing mission work with Lions International. She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, gardening, growing flowers and loving animals, especially her pet deer, Rudy.

She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband, Wayne Ness of Kellogg; sons and daughter-in-law: Kerry and Tracy Nielsen of Kellogg, and Steven Nielsen of Kellogg; daughter and son-in-law: Veronica and Michael Suk of Rochester; step-son, Lloyd (Laura) Ness of

Woodbury, Minn.; step-daughter, Jeanine (Paul) Lienke of Ashland, Neb.; seven grandchildren: Reina, Leanna and Maria Nielsen, Michael Suk Jr. and Veronica Suk, and Ryan and Bailey Ness; brothers and sisters-in-law: William and Deb Whelan of

Clarks Grove,

Dennis and Alice Whelan of Albert Lea, Edward Whelan of Albert Lea, and

Lewis and Sheila Whelan of Brainerd; sisters and brothers-in-law: Margaret Wales of Motley, Minn., Laurel and Lon Youngerberg of

Janesville, and John Westhuis of Artisia, CA; and nieces and nephews.

Her first husband and one sister, Clara Westhuis, preceded her in death.

A funeral mass will be offered on Monday, Nov. 29,

at 11 a.m. at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Kellogg with the Rev. Donald Lovas officiating. Interment will be in St. Agnes Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Abbott Funeral Home in Wabasha on Sunday from 4 to 8

p.m., where there will be a rosary service at 4:30 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m. Friends may also call at the church on Monday one hour before the service.

The family prefers memorials to Mayo/St. Elizabeth Hospice Program or to the American Cancer Society.

The Abbott Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.