Darlene Marie McManus

life story

Darlene “Dee” McManus Remembered for a Life of Purpose, Curiosity, and Connection

Darlene “Dee” Marie McManus (née Bradley), age 79, passed away peacefully on July 3, 2025, from complications related to pancreatic cancer. She was surrounded by family.

Born on June 16, 1946, in Columbus, Montana, Dee grew up defying expectations. A fierce feminist from the start, she pushed past the limits of “what women should do,” setting her sights on science, medicine, and a life of meaningful leadership. She earned a B.S. in microbiology and immunology and, later, an M.B.A. in nonprofit finance—an uncommon pairing that served as the foundation for her life’s work at the intersection of science, service, and systems change.

She started her career as a lab technician doing research on diabetes and birth control. Over the decades, she went on to serve in leadership roles across academic institutions, for-profits, and nonprofits. She became director of administration at the Lillehei Heart Institute. Later, she served as the first-ever executive director of Graduate Women in Science (GWIS)—a historic national organization founded in 1921 to advance the status of women in scientific fields. At GWIS, she brought visibility, vitality, and financial strength to an organization rooted in the same values she carried from girlhood: strength, perseverance, influence, and justice for women everywhere.

Dee was a prolific communicator whose writing and editorial work spanned science, history, and advocacy. She contributed to the “Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices,” co-authored a strategic space analysis for the Lillehei Heart Institute, and served as copy editor for the “50th Anniversary of Open Heart Surgery.” She was also editor of the National GWIS Bulletin for over a decade and wrote “Testament of Tenacity: A Portrait of Dr. Marie Berg” for it in 2000. Dee’s expertise led to media features and interviews, including with Australian Public Radio, The Minnesota Daily, and the City of Lakeville Sun, where she spoke on science, heart research, and environmental advocacy.

Her volunteer service was as wide-ranging as her resume. She held leadership roles on numerous boards and committees, including serving as national director of the UMN Alumni Association and president of the Biological Sciences Alumni Society. She chaired multiple national conferences for GWIS, led environmental initiatives for the City of Lakeville, and played a central role in the Dakota County Master Gardener program—logging over 3,000 hours and serving four years on its leadership team. A self-described “tree hugger,” Dee championed pollinators and rain gardens, mentored fellow gardeners, and advocated for sustainable public spaces. In her two short years at Highland Path, she founded a gardening club, led the effort to save a beloved burr oak named Beatrice, started a bridge club, helped run daily trivia, and became the spark behind countless shared meals and joyful gatherings. Whether she was editing, organizing, planting, or connecting—Dee showed up with intellect, integrity, and heart.

Dee was a scientist at heart, but also a deeply social spirit—strong, direct, and unshakably optimistic. She read science journals cover to cover, asked curious questions, and delighted in sharing whatever new idea she’d discovered that week. Above all, she loved bringing people together. Whether organizing community events or simply sharing a pot of coffee, she believed in the power of connection—and in leaving things better than she found them.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Eugene “Max” McManus; her children, Kelly McManus (Mike Olson) and Brad McManus (Crystal Pollard); her grandchildren, Max Henry McManus, Avery James McManus, and Jax David McManus; her siblings, Roxy Kasman (Doug) and Curt Bradley (Bonnie); and many dear friends and extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Marie Bradley.

In honor of one of her most cherished traditions—organizing the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences Alumni Family Weekend in Itasca State Park for over 30 years—Dee requested that her ashes be sprinkled at the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Itasca State Park this fall. It was a place where science, nature, and community converged for her—a fitting final resting place for a woman who believed deeply in all three.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 9, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Highland Path, 1920 Graham Ave, St. Paul, MN 55116, (service starting at 1:30pm) and will also be livestreamed for those out of town or homebound. To receive the livestream link, and/or to submit photos of Dee for her memorial slideshow, please email gwised2@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (https://bit.ly/StJudeDee), Graduate Women in Science (https://bit.ly/GWISDee), or the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (https://bit.ly/MNArbDee)—all causes close to Dee’s heart.

As Dee believed and lived by: "Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and twice as beautiful as you'd ever imagined." – Rumi

memorial service

Celebration of LIfe

August 9, 2025

To receive the livestream link, and/or to submit photos of Dee for her memorial slideshow, please email gwised2@gmail.com.

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services