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of Albertville, MN and formerly Dayton, MN
June 3, 1935 – May 14, 2024
Visitation
Friday, May 17, 2024
5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
The Peterson Chapel – St. Michael, MN
Mass of Christian Burial
Saturday, May 18, 2024
11:00 a.m.
visitation continuing one hour prior to the mass
Church of St. Albert – Albertville, MN
http://churchofstalbert.org/livestream
Interment
St. Vincent dePaul Cemetery – Osseo, MN
Vincent Clement McCann, 88, of Maple Grove, MN, passed away on May 14, 2024. Beloved husband of Diane — married 65 years — and loving father of four children: daughters Joyce and Ellie; sons Jeff and Ron.
Vince first saw Diane at her choir concert at St. Michael Catholic High School. Vince soon after left for Colorado for his two years of service in the Army. It was during this time that Vince wrote to Diane daily, signing his letters “T.C.T.S.A.” (too cute to sleep alone). They were engaged when he returned home in June of 1955 and were married Oct. 26, 1955. In all their years together, each card Vince gave to Diane for various occasions was always signed “Lucky.” Vince would often show up with bouquets of flowers for Mom often gathered from a local field or sourced from other interesting places around town.
Together Vince and Diane lived an active life and had a wide range of interests they enjoyed together. They both loved music and dancing, which led them to attend local dances flowing across the floor like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. A highlight for them was polka dancing at the state capitol. They took up golf once the kids were old enough to stay home alone and belonged to many golf and bowling leagues in the different communities where they lived. Vince was a golf course superintendent which allowed them to travel the country on wonderful trips where they played on a variety of courses and met all kinds of interesting people.
The joy of travel near and far was such a central theme. Camping with family took on the best of the best in local travel, combining all the things Vince and Diane loved: family, bonfires, weenie roasts, and just being present in nature with the ones you love.
Golf was Vince’s passion. At the age 82 he shot his age! After Vince’s heart attack and stroke in June, 2019 his biggest concern was if he would golf again. With his hard work and determination he did return to the golf course many times and enjoyed using the simulator during the winter months.
Vince wore many hats during his career. He once owned a Ward’s store, was a superintendent at the Purple Hawk golf course in Cambridge, MN, a realtor in Hot Springs, AR, a golf course superintendent in Bella Vista, AR, and even cleaned taps during his retirement at local pubs around Daytona, MN, up to the age of 83. These are just a few examples to highlight the wide range of skills and expertise he possessed.
Vince had an engineer’s mind and enjoyed tinkering, building, and solving puzzles. When there was a challenge or task at hand, he would find innovative solutions and was persistent in finding a way. He built a camper, hand-sewed heavy canvas tents. The kids knew when they saw Dad’s truck home early on a Friday afternoon that they were going camping that weekend. He built an ice fishing house on an old sailboat trailer for easy on/off ice access. Vince loved gardening, successfully keeping red geraniums over the winter months.
Vince had a quiet but strong faith throughout his life. He was heavily involved in the church, was an usher, often took part in the readings, distributed communion, and continued bible study up to his final days. He didn’t force his beliefs but instead led by example and was open minded and accepting of others.
Vince is predeceased by wife Diane, brother Jerry and sister Rita (Jim Lefebvre).
He is survived by his children Joyce (Martin) Sager, Jeffery (Cathy) McCann, Ronald (Rita) McCann, Ellie McCann; grandchildren Emily, Kahle, Marie, Stephanie, Amy, Andrew, Jacob, Katie M., Katie W., Zack and nine great grandchildren: Logan, Conor, Hayden, Finley, Millie, Savannah, Artie, Sienna and Ayla.. Siblings Jim (Karen), Jan (Tom) Grinnell, Bill (Pat) McCann, Pat (Doug) Lewis, SIL Carol, and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Stroke Association.
