Mary Leah Stenbeck, 86, of Cook, MN passed away on Saturday, March 28, 2020 at her home with loved ones by her side.

Mary Leah was born to Ole and Catherine (Clune) Larson on August 20, 1933 in Cook, MN. She grew up and attended school in Cook. She was united in marriage to Stanley Stenbeck in October of 1954 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Cook, MN. Their love carried them through 64 years of marriage, and the couple was close to their 65 ^th anniversary when Stanley passed away.

Mary Leah worked for the city of Cook as a clerk and for the US Forest Service in Cook; she retired from her forestry job in 1990. She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church Choir and the Vermilion Fairways Women's Club.

Mary Leah and Stanley both loved spending time on the lake, so they followed their dream and moved to a home on Lake Vermilion, where they lived for 47 years. Mary Leah and Stanley were inseparable; she loved spending all her time with him. They enjoyed traveling, fishing, snowmobiling, playing bridge, and golfing together. Mary Leah also had many interests that she pursued on her own. She loved to read, crochet, and knit. She was very artistic and enjoyed crafting of any sort.

Mary Leah was an avid lineage searcher and she loved sharing family memories and history. She was strong, but also soft and caring. She adored her special pets: Sammy the dog and Charlie the cat; and treated them as family.

Mary Leah was preceded in death by her parents: Ole and Catherine; beloved husband Stanley; in-laws Wayne and Hilda Stenbeck; brother and sister-in-law, Dorothy and Jack Whiteside; nephew Marty Reichel; niece Ann Katzenberger; great-nephew Trevor Reichel; and great-great-niece Peytynn Russell.

Mary Leah is survived by her brother Edward Larson of California; sister-in-law Shirley Reichel of Cook; 9 nieces and nephews; numerous great-nieces and nephews; and many cousins.

There will be a private family committal at the Duluth Veterans Cemetery, where Mary Leah will be laid to rest with Stanley. Mary Leah's family would like to thank Essentia Health Hospice for their wonderful care! To leave an online condolence visit www.mlakerfuneralhome.com