Maria "Minni" Lineen

Minni's Final Coffee Klatsch

January 4,1943 – June 11, 2024

Maria Lineen (née Seidel) known by all as Minni, 81 of Brooklyn, NY, passed away on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. She was from a small Bavarian village in Germany and was the fifth of six children, born to Sofia and Martin Seidel. Sister to Sofia, Martin, Hans, Wolfgang, and is survived by her brother Michel Seidel. She was the beloved wife of the late Joseph P. Lineen of Brooklyn, New York. Minni met her husband Joseph (Joe) on a blind date while he was in the Army stationed in Germany. They were married and had 2 daughters, Andrea and Michelle.  She was beloved by her daughters and was the Proud grandmother/Oma of Michael, Andrew, Monica, Madison, and Riley. She shared a special relationship with each of her grandchildren. She had an extra special bond with her first grandchild Michael as she played a large role in raising him. She was a treasured great-grandmother/Oma to Gianna, Mikey, Faith (who endearingly referred to her as my "little sweetie pie"), and Matthew.

In 1967, Minni moved to Brooklyn, New York with her husband Joe, and their daughter Andrea. A few years later their daughter Michelle was born. Minni quickly adapted to her new life in America and was embraced by her husband's family and formed a close bond with her sister-in-law Margie. Minni's husband Joe took a job working for Pan American Airlines, so she was fortunate enough to be able to travel back to Germany to see family 3 times a year, remaining very close with her parents, siblings, cousins, and with many of her nieces and nephews. Some of whom have come to visit her in Brooklyn. She was the legendary aunt who left a small village in Germany to go and live in America in the 1960s.

Minni was truly a social butterfly who loved hosting and having a good weekly coffee Klatsch. She loved getting together with friends to share meals, make memories, and have fun. She has had so many friends first were her German friends Vera and Ingrid who were like family. Then there, were the neighbors on 68th Street, friends she made picking kids up from school, then later on Jimmy, Aunt Marie, and the gang, and so many others. She had many long-standing friendships through out her life.  She was a great friend to so many. Minni did not discriminate and was always ready to make a new friend. She loved people and was passionate about her family and feeding them as well as her friends.  Minni loved cooking Thanksgiving dinner for and with her family. She also loved baking her cookies at Christmas to give out to friends and family. She loved Christmas and would play Christmas classics during the season, her favorite being Elvis's Blue Christmas of course. To know her was to have eaten her German potato salad, marble cake, cheesecake, strawberry, roll, cream puffs, and her wide variety of Bavarian Christmas cookies just to name a few.

Minni loved her hair spray, sunglasses, smoking cigarettes, sunbathing even in her 80s, dancing the twist, drinking her German coffee from Lidl and serving it to her friends and family, she also loved good food of all kinds.  Minni was fiercely independent and despite her rheumatoid arthritis lived on her own, cooked, shopped, cleaned, and did her own laundry until a few weeks ago. She was always on the go and could be seen with her shopping cart which she would take on 2 buses to do her weekly shopping in Bay Ridge. She always had her heavy pocketbook on her shoulder even when up dancing on a dance floor. Minni showed us all to keep going never stop making friends and spend time with family as much as possible whether in America or Germany. She meant so much to so many and will be deeply missed forever. Her death is a profound loss for her family and all who loved her. To a life well lived: Auf Wiedersehen, mein Schatz!

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in Minni's memory to:

Saint Jude Children's Hospital
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis TN 38105

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Visitation (Minni's final coffee Klatsch):
Wednesday 6/19/2024
2 - 4 PM & 7 - 9 PM

Joseph P. Clavin Sons, Inc.
7722 4th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11209
Complimentary Valet Parking Available


No Funeral Mass


Cemetery
Thursday 6/20/2024

Departing Clavin F.H. at 10:00 a.m.

Calverton National Cemetery
210 Princeton Boulevard
Calverton, NY 11792