Mae Esther Forsman, age 99, of Cokato, MN, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2026, at Buffalo Hospital, surrounded by family. For the past four years, Mae made her home at Brookridge Assisted Living, where she received wonderful and compassionate care.
Mae was born on May 5, 1927, in French Lake Township to John and Dora Engstrom. She had one brother, LeRoy Engstrom, and grew up on a farm north of Cokato, where she learned the value of hard work, simple joys, and caring for others. The lessons of farm life stayed with her throughout her 99 years and shaped the steady, generous way she welcomed each season of life. Mae attended Lee School through 6th grade and later graduated from Annandale High School. Over the years, she worked for many employers, including the Dayton’s Department Store in downtown Minneapolis, Happy Corner Store, Cokato Canning, Cokato Train Depot, Tonka Toys, Fabri Tek, Jack and Jill grocery store, where she made bread, cooking at Dassel-Cokato High School and Corbin’s Woolie’s.
On February 2, 1948, Mae married Norman Forsman in the heart of a cold winter and grew into 54 years of shared life, faith, family, and devotion before Norman passed away on August 31, 2002. Together they were blessed with seven children, including their son Eric, who was stillborn. As their family grew, Mae poured herself into creating a home where there was always room for one more person at the table and always something warm to share. After retirement, Mae and Norman lived for periods of time in Ocean Park, Washington; St. Cloud; Howard Lake; and Dassel before returning to Cokato, where Mae spent her remaining years.
Mae’s relationship with Jesus and her church family became especially important in the late 1970s, when she began a personal walk with Christ.
Her faith continued to grow through Village School of the Bible and her involvement at First Baptist Church. Mae served the church joyfully through her gift of hospitality, often showing love in practical ways through meals, visits, and a listening ear. She was also a faithful member of the Cokato Legion Auxiliary, where she continued her pattern of serving others quietly and faithfully.
Mae will be remembered for her gentle spirit, kindness, and gift of hospitality. She loved cooking for people in need, and her meals brought great joy to family, friends, and especially her grandchildren. Many will remember the comfort of her kitchen, the smell of fresh caramel rolls, and the feeling of being cared for the moment they walked through her door. Family was deeply important to Mae, and she created a welcoming presence that made others feel loved, included, and at home. She also loved preserving family memories through scrapbooking. Mae and Norman also began a family chicken business and selling eggs, a family legacy that continues through “Mae’s Eggs.”
Mae is survived by five children, 18 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and many friends whose lives were blessed by her presence.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman; her parents, John and Dora; her brother, LeRoy; and her sons, Eric and Tim.
Mae was easy to love, brought joy to those around her, and had a special way of making people feel welcomed. Her life was filled with small acts that become lasting memories: a meal prepared with care, a kind word at the right time, a steady faith, and a home where family always knew they belonged. Her long and beautiful life was a gift to all who knew and loved her.
