Mikaela Jo O'Brien

Mikaela Jo O'Brien, 46, passed away at her home in Hayfield on Thursday, November 9, 2023.

Mikaela Jo Lux was born on January 4th 1977, to Dr William Joseph Lux and Fredricka Ann Lux. Mikaela was a quiet, well-behaved girl that loved sewing, babysitting and reading books. She and Paul began dating and went to their high school prom together. On May 2, 1998, Paul and Mikaela married at the Queen of Angels in Austin, MN. They both started their careers, welcomed their 3 boys, and continued to make Hayfield their home.

Mikaela graduated from Hayfield High School in 1995.  Mikaela then started working as a surgical technician at Mayo Clinic in Austin and continued on to become a surgical first assistant before transferring to Mayo Clinic Rochester Campus. Part of Mikaela’s career in Rochester included working in the Breast Oncology Department and also on the liver retrieval team working in conjunction with Life Source Organ procurement team, flying all across the United States.

Mikaela loved her boys, Paul, and her 4 legged best friend and foot warmer, Chewie. They were her life. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, aunt, friend, mother and wife. She loved fiercely. She also was a force to be reckoned with. If you knew Mikaela, you knew not to make her mad. But she also had this warm, giving, old soul and heart. She gave herself wholeheartedly to those she loved. If you know Mikaela, you’ve likely received a handmade quilt, baby blanket, ornament, or something that had true meaning behind it. Freddi received a gift in the mail from Mikaela the day after her passing.  There’s also a personalized baby gift on the counter at their house right now that Mikaela ordered. She was like that. She loved deeply and was a very caring person.  She also loved being an O’Brien daughter, sister and loved each of them very much. She kept gifts from Paul’s mom, Caryl, frequently dropped off meals to Stan, and brought her mom with her everywhere she went.

All of her boys had nicknames that she and Paul gave them. She decorated their home for every holiday, other than Christmas, she left that part up to Paul. She made their house a home filled with family pictures, personalized decorations and mementos from special occasions.

The last few years have been a blessing in disguise allowing her to stay home with the boys. She would snuggle them, giving them love and hugs even when they didn’t like it. She and Knox loved cooking together. She loved taking Pierce to scary movies with her. Payne made her proud by buying a house and bringing her a grand puppy, Penny. Her boys made her so very proud to be a boy mom. Mikaela also loved spending her summers at the camper and out on the pontoon. She was very proud to be the wife of the Chief of the Hayfield Fire Department.

Mikaela was the rock of the family, never a softy. She was our number 1, our go to person. She made the world a better place and her impact on earth will be felt for many years to come.

Mikaela is survived by her loving husband, Paul; sons, Payne, Pierce, Knox; mother, Freddi Lux; sister, Andrea (Bob) Young and brother, Zakary Lux. She is also survived by her father in law, Stanley O’Brien; her O’Brien siblings, Ann and Mike, Colleen and Randy, Mary and Mike, Melissa and Chris, Matt, and Emily; her many nieces and nephews; and her great aunt, Petra.

She is preceded in death by her father, William Lux; mother in law, Caryl; niece, Ella and grandparents.

A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 17, 2023, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 150 2nd St NE in Hayfield, MN.  Visitation will be one hour prior to her mass at the church.

To share a special memory or condolence please, visit www.czaplewskifuneralhomes.com, Czaplewski Family Funeral Homes ~ 501 2nd Street NW ~ Hayfield, Minnesota; 507-477-2259. Blessed be her memory.