July 15, 2010
Denfeld Alumni News

Mary Wicklund, former Denfeld English teacher, dies at 67

Former Denfeld English teacher Mary Wicklund died July 15 at Solvay Hospice House in Duluth. She was 67.

Her teaching career began at Proctor High School in 1964, teaching English and history. She then began a career with Duluth Public Schools, teaching at Morgan Park, Denfeld and East. She retired in 1998.

She was born Mary Louise Brophy in Duluth on Oct. 29, 1942, the oldest of four children, born to James E. Brophy and Evelyn (Fundanet) Brophy. She attended St. Margaret Mary Catholic School through the eighth grade, and was a student at Morgan Park High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She graduated with honors in 1960 and was one of the first students in Duluth to participate in the American Field Service as a foreign exchange student.

She married Karl G. Wicklund on Dec. 28, 1963.

In 1964 she graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a bachelor’s degree in language arts and history. Later, she completed a reading specialist certification after taking classes at the University of Wisconsin-Superior and UMD.

Mrs. Wicklund held many leadership roles during her teaching years. For over 20 years she was on the board of directors at Duluth Teachers’ Credit Union. She also served many years as a union-building steward and was on the executive board of the Duluth Federation of Teachers.