Obituary of Mary Bily

Hill City, MN – Mary “Beth” Bily, 57, passed from this life on September 13, 2024 following a brief illness. She was born March 25, 1967 in Alexandria, IN the daughter of Ilona “Lonnie” Curtis and Kenneth Heller. Beth was a 1985 graduate of Alexandria Monroe High School and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Ball State University, Muncie, IN in 1989. It was at Ball State that she met her soulmate, David Bily, whom she married on September 28, 1991. Dave and Beth made their home in northern Minnesota where they became the proud parents of beautiful twin girls, Katherine Anne and Allison Jo on April 28, 1997.

Beth began her journalism career in 2000 at the Aitkin Independent Age and remained highly involved in the news and publication industry for the rest of her life, serving as a freelance writer, reporter, and editor for several regional newspapers and other publications. She is an alumnus of the Blandin Foundation Community Leadership Program and completed editors training through the American Press Institute. She served as editor of the Grand Rapids Herald Review from 2002-2006 and became the co-owner of BusinessNorth with her business partner, Ron Brochu, in 2010. Beth and Ron also co-owned the Scenic Range News Forum from 2013-2020 and acquired Lake Superior Magazine in 2018.

Beth is survived by her husband and daughters, sister Tamara (Jason) Moore, and step-mother, Cozette Heller. She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, John and Mildred (Heller) O’Haver; maternal grandparents, Harvey and Nema (Mulvaney) Marquand; father, Kenneth Heller; mother, Lonnie Curtis; and step-father, Harry Curtis.

Beth was passionate about her business, her pets, cooking, theater, and opera, but nothing compared to the joy she found in her home and family.

Services will be held on Monday, September 23, 2024 at 10am in Duluth at the Cremation Society of Minnesota, 4100 Grand Avenue. The Bily family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to The Humane Society in Beth’s honor.