Leila Elaine (Sulheim) Fischer

Leila Elaine (Sulheim) Fischer, 87, of St. Paul, Minnesota, and formerly of Washburn, Wisconsin, passed on September 21, 2026. She was born on November 11, 1938, to John and Ruth (Mathistad) Sulheim, the second of five children.

Leila grew up on her family’s farm on Sulem Lake in Odin Township, Minnesota. Life on the farm gave her an early love of animals, where she helped care for the family’s cows, horses, chickens, dogs, and cats. She attended a one-room schoolhouse for grade school before graduating from Mountain Lake High School in 1956. She briefly attended St. Olaf College in Northfield and then moved to Minneapolis to live with her sister, Marilyn, and a few girlfriends while she worked as a secretary.

In Minneapolis, Leila met Markham Jerome Fischer, and the two were married in 1963. Together they had three children. Their daughter, Lani, was born while Mark was serving in the Navy and stationed in Jacksonville, Florida. Soon after, they returned to the Twin Cities where Mark completed his physician residency, and sons, Trent and Reid, were born.

In 1972, the family moved to northern Wisconsin. They first lived in Bayfield, where their home was the head physician’s manor at the Pureair Sanatorium tuberculosis hospital. In 1974, they moved to their lakeshore property north of Washburn where they built their new home on Lake Superior.

In her 40 years living in Washburn, Leila was deeply involved in her community and built a wide circle of friendships. She was an active member of Messiah Lutheran Church and participated in the Washburn Harbor Commission, the League of Women Voters, the Red Hat Society, and the local election board, where she also worked on Election Day. Music was an important part of her life. She loved playing the piano and singing, both at church and with the Chequamegon Choir.

Leila had a great love of the outdoors. She enjoyed the annual tradition of making maple syrup with friends and family. Downhill skiing was a favorite pastime. She also treasured the beautiful night sky and northern lights, which she often could see over Lake Superior.

Leila had a gift for making people feel welcome. She volunteered at the local grade school by helping children learn to read and opened her home to numerous foreign exchange students from around the world, including Kristine Skaset of Norway, Stephanie Van Duin of Italy, Fabio Robecchi of Italy, and Heronaldo Marinho de Andrade of Brazil.

Family and heritage remained especially important to Leila. She welcomed her parents to live in the cabin next door, which allowed her to care for them as they aged. Their shared Norwegian heritage was nurtured through baking traditional treats on holidays.

Later, Leila transformed her lakeshore home into the Nordic Bay B&B, where she welcomed guests from across the country and around the world. Hospitality came naturally to her and she enjoyed the many friendships and stories that came with sharing her home. She also loved to travel, visiting Mexico, Peru, England, Spain, and Portugal.

In 2014, Leila moved back to the Twin Cities to be closer to her family in Minnesota. In recent years, she resided at Lyngblomsten Assisted Living in Lino Lakes. Although a stroke in 2021 slowed her physically, it did not diminish her spirit or love for the people around her.

She is survived by her children and grandchildren, Lani Priddy, of Princeton, MN, and her children, Silja and Maren; Trent (Maria-Luisa Parzenczewski), of St. Paul, MN, and their children, Álvaro and Gabriela; Reid (Adriana Barraza Reyes), of Minneapolis, MN, and their children, Sebastián, Itzel, and Aliza. She is also survived by her brother, Howard (Lois Frederick), of Beaver Bay, MN, his children, Chad and Ryan, and numerous grandchildren; her sister, Janice Steinle (Lowell), of Sammamish, WA, and her children, Todd, Troy, and Trevor; as well as numerous other relatives and dear friends. Leila was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Marilyn Briggs; brother, Ronald Sulheim; as well as several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Celebration of Life is being planned. Please check back for updates.