Roy Mayeske

Roy Wells Mayeske died on July 18, 2022 at age 96 at Fairview St. Johns Hospital in Saint Paul. Born on May 2nd, 1926 to John and Harriett (Wells) Mayeske, Roy grew up mostly in Chicago where he attended Calumet High School. He joined the High School ROTC program and, under Roy’s command as “Cadet Captain,” his platoon won the 1943 city-wide drill competition beating out 26 other units. From Chicago, Roy moved to the Twin Cities where he attended the University of Minnesota and earned a B.A. degree in Political Science and Business Administration. After a two year stint working for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, Roy enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1950 and served as a Sergeant First Class with the 817 Ordnance Supply Depot Company stationed in Yokohama, Japan. Honorably discharged from the Army in 1952, Roy went back to work for 3M in St. Paul. On August 12, 1961 Roy married Dorothy Ann Ode from Brandon, South Dakota. The couple first made their home in Roseville, where Dorothy taught at Alexander Ramsey High School, later moving to their current home in North Oaks. Roy remained a loving husband and best friend to Dorothy for over 60 years. Roy had a distinguished 41 year career working for the 3M corporation, much of it in the Transportation Department. During the early 1980s Roy was instrumental in the deregulation of the U.S. trucking industry. In December, 1983 he was promoted as the first ever Executive Director of Transportation for 3M. He and his staff made sure that 3M products got delivered on time and that supply chains were kept running. A respected and visionary leader, Roy was a fair boss and a mentor to many of his staff. Roy faced adversity throughout his life and always met it with courage and determination. His mother died when he was eight years old. When he was 91, he was the victim of a hit and run accident on Lexington Avenue. Roy not only survived the accident but worked to regain virtually all of his former abilities. Roy was preceded in death by his parents, brother George Mayeske, and brother-in-law Gordon Ode. He is survived by his wife Dorothy, two sisters- in-law: Betty Jo Mayeske and Mila Ode; and seven niblings: David and John Mayeske, David, Mark and Bruce Ode, JoAnn Pressler, and Dianne Mork.

Roy’s funeral will be held on Thursday, July 28th at Incarnation Lutheran Church. Visitation will begin at 12:30 pm with a funeral service at 1:30. Burial at Roselawn Cemetery commences at 3 pm followed by an afternoon lunch at the North Oaks Golf Club.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to the “Ode-Mayeske Scholarship Fund,” at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD.