Edith Mahnke is missed by a very diverse group of people in the Ashland area and beyond. She was a lady of many talents, who unselfishly shared those talents with many organizations throughout the community and surrounding area. The "twinkle in her eye" showed how much she loved what she was doing.

First and foremost, Edith was a mother and grandmother. Her children and their families must adjust to not having her around to rely on. Edith was a descendent of Benjamin Green Armstrong, who arrived in this area to do treaty work between the Ojibwe and the government, one of Ashland’s founding fathers. She was the family historian and organized the Armstrong Family Reunions. Edith made several trips to Norway researching her heritage.

She learned the Norwegian language and taught classes through the Sons of Norway Organization of which she was a past president. She volunteered at the Birkibeiner Ski Race each year.

She was very active in her church. She sang in the choir, was a church elder, member of the women’s groups, and participated in mission trips to Mexico. She learned how to speak the language so she could communicate better with the women and children. She recently had been teaching English to new Hispanic residents of Ashland.

She graduated from Ashland High School in 1957 and was instrumental in organizing each of their class reunions. Edith was a school teacher in the Ashland School System. She was the traveling music teacher for the grade schools, and then became a kindergarten teacher before retiring.

Edith was a volunteer and past president of the Ashland Historical Society Museum. She loved to share her knowledge of Ashland’s past by creating and setting displays for the museum, visited the schools with the "funky trunky", researching a business or family, recording oral histories or writing vignettes to mention just a few of the many talents she shared at the museum.

We weren’t ready to stop learning from her!!