Cover photo for Maxine Delores Grani's Obituary
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1925 Maxine 2017

Maxine Delores Grani

March 17, 1925 — July 10, 2017

Maxine Delores Grani, 92, of Fargo, ND, passed away on Monday, July 10, 2017, at Bethany on University in Fargo, ND. Maxine was born on March 17, 1925, in Parke Township, MN, to Maynard and Tilla Teigen Nelson. She attended Lake Park High School and graduated in 1942.

Maxine moved to Detroit, MI where she worked as a seamstress and later in the quality control department of a defense plant during World War II. There, she met Anthony R. Passanante and they were married shortly after the war. They moved to Philadelphia, PA, and raised three boys. Anthony passed away in 1959 and Maxine moved back to Minnesota and married her high school sweetheart, Ernest Grani in 1960. Together, they had a daughter and raised the four children on the Grani family farm in Lake Park, MN.

Maxine worked various jobs such as rolling lefse as well as milking cows and working on the farm. Most of her working career was spent as a bookkeeper at the Lake Park Community Co-Op. Upon retirement, she began bookkeeping for St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Lake Park, MN.

Maxine had a passion for food and was known for her cooking skills, especially her homemade ravioli. She would go out of her way to make sure everyone had what they wanted when it came to meal times or any other time of the day. If you were to enter her house, the first thing she would say is “Are you hungry?” She enjoyed gardening, canning, cards, scrabble, and word puzzles. She was very proud she won the Becker County Spelling Bee at age 12. Maxine always made time to talk, but her specialty was listening. Her home was open to all and she especially enjoyed entertaining her brothers, sisters, children, and their families. In her later years, she enjoyed travelling with her sister, Marj, to Norway, Hawaii, France, and Italy.

Maxine is survived by her children, Tony Diane Passanante, Richard Liew Passanante, and Annette Olson; daughter-in-law, Pam Passanante; grandchildren, Tina Grinell Longstreet Passanante, Anthony Lindsay Passanante, Andrew Jamie Passanante, Mandy Travis Tollerud, Angela Nick Dahlen, Carmen Jarret Keaton Passanante, Alex Passanante, Mitchell Olson, and Heather and Casey Gallagher; 13 great-grandchildren; brothers, Clayton Nelson, and John Patty Nelson; sisters, Jessie Ulrich, Jeannette Biewer, Denise Erickson, Rudella Wermager, Connie Max Baer, and Karen Curt Hanson; and many other loving relatives and friends. Maxine is preceded in death by her first husband, Anthony Passanante; late husband, Ernest Grani; son, John Passanante; brother, Lyle Nelson; and sister, Marjorie Johnson.

Visitation: Tuesday, July 18, 2017, at Wright Funeral Home in Hawley, MN from 5:00-6:00PM with a time for sharing at 6:00PM.

Service: Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Lake Park, MN at 11:00AM.

Burial: Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at Solem Lutheran Cemetery following services at the church.

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Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

5:00 - 6:00 pm (Central time)

Wright Funeral Home, Hawley, MN

MN

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Service

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Starts at 11:00 am (Central time)

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Cemetery

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Solem Lutheran Church Cemetery

MN

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