MarLien Bartz

March 20, 1931 - June 17, 2013

Marshall: MarLien Bartz, age 82, of Marshall, passed away at the Prairie Home Hospice House on June 17, 2013. Memorial services will be held on Monday, June 24, 2013 at 11:00 am at First Lutheran Church in Marshall with burial at the Marshall Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 23rd from 3 to 6 pm at First Lutheran Church and on Monday one hour prior to the service. MarLien Knutson Bartz, loving wife, mother, sister and friend in Christ, passed away June 17 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. MarLien was born March 20, 1931, to Alfred and Mabel Knutson in Hendricks Community Hospital. She was baptized and confirmed at Singsaas Lutheran Church and received her early religious education in Norwegian. MarLien graduated co-valedictorian of her high-school class in Hendricks, MN and subsequently attended the College of Medical Technology in Minneapolis, graduating with honors in 1950. She started her medical career at the hospital in Rugby, ND, and soon came home to work in the Hendricks hospital lab and clinic. MarLien married Don Bartz nearly 60 years ago on December 6, 1953, in an evening candlelight service at Singsaas Lutheran Church. They raised their family in Ivanhoe, MN and moved to Marshall, MN in 1985. MarLien was a member of First Lutheran Church, devoted to her women’s bible study group and an active member of the local chapter of the P.E.O philanthropic organization for over 25 years. Renowned for her Norwegian Lefse rolling prowess, she was a voracious reader, avid golfer, swimmer, water-skier, and expert bridge partner. She spent summers with her children and grandchildren at the family cabin on Lake Cochrane in Gary, SD, and was an accomplished sailor of her cherished 12’ sailboat. MarLien learned to snow ski at age thirty and enjoyed numerous family ski trips to Northern Minnesota and eventually to Colorado during the early days of the Vail Resort. Together, MarLien and Don learned to fly and she passed her ground school exam with a perfect score, confirming her role as Don’s best and most beloved co-pilot in life. They also traveled the world together taking trips through the Panama Canal, to the Caribbean, Alaska, Norway, British Isles, Central Europe and Italy. After retiring, MarLien and Don spent 14 winters at the Sun Village golf community in Surprise, AZ. MarLien is survived by her husband, Don; three children, Dana, Rich (and Karen) of Marshall, and Deb (and Charlie Webb) of Monument, CO; six grandchildren, Hannah of Minneapolis, Jamison and Katlyn of Marshall, Cory and Chase Giltner of Monument, CO, and Riley of Frisco, CO; two sisters Althea Digre of Hendricks, and Donna Thompson (and Dale) of St. Cloud; two sisters-in-law Lurine Knutson of Hendricks, and Barb Knutson of Maple Grove; and many nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers Paul and Lloyd Knutson; and brothers-in-law Donald Johnson and Ed Digre. Charitable contributions to the Avera Cancer Center Foundation and Prairie Home Hospice House in Marshall. Blessed be the memory of Marlien Bartz.