General Information
Full Name: Merna L. Maher
Date of Birth: April 14, 1925
Date of Death: October 15, 2012
Merna’s life story
MERNA LOIS (HABHEGGER) MAHER
Merna Lois (Habhegger) Maher, 87, of Prior Lake, Minn., died Monday, October 15, 2012, at
McKenna Crossing, an assisted-living facility in Prior Lake.
Merna was born April 14, 1925 in Wrenshall, Minnesota–a town founded by her
great-grandfather–to Charles and Eleanore Habhegger. She grew up there during the Great
Depression, was valedictorian of her high school graduating class of 20, attended the
University of Minnesota, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
After the war, Merna married Lester Cox of Johnson City, Tennessee. They resided in
Duluth while raising their 5 children. Lester predeceased her on March 10, 1973.
In 1983, Merna married John Maher of Utica, N.Y., a Harvard graduate and professor of
economics at the Univ. of Southern Connecticut. After retiring, they came to reside in
Prior Lake in 1995, where John passed away Feb. 15, 2005.
While raising a family of five, Merna was also employed as an advertising copy writer and
producer with the I.F.I Agency and television stations KDAL and WDIO of Duluth; as an
assistant to the director of the St. Louis County Welfare Department; and after moving
to New York, as a producer of educational materials with Guidance Associates, a division
of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Merna is survived by her sister, Dolores (Dale) Dennie, of Wrenshall; her sons Charles
(Joann) Cox and Thomas Cox, of Duluth, and David Cox, of Edina; her daughters Cathleen
(William) Wilson, of Webster, Minn., and Teresa (Clayton) Dean, of Broomfield, Col.; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
The family would like to express special thanks to Becky Cavanagah, Merna’s longtime personal care attendant, as well as to the staff of McKenna Crossing for their caring support of Merna during her several-year stay at their facility.
No funeral service is planned. Interment will be at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Clayville, N.Y.
Interment Information
Location: St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery
Address: Clayville, New York
