Annette Markell

Sug was born September 6, 1924 on a farm near Bridgewater, SD. She attended Catholic school until age 10. In 1934 the Alcorn family moved to Walnut Grove, MN to escape the drought. She and her siblings walked two miles to two room county school until her eighth grade year. She graduated from Walnut Grove High School in 1942. After high school Sug worked in Minneapolis as a secretary and in a munitions factory during the WWII effort. Sug married the love of her life, Ralph John Markell on January 11, 1947. They moved to Excelsior, MN for the winter of 1948. Their oldest son Dan was born there. They moved to Green Valley, MN where they lived until 1995. During that time, Linda, Lee and Deb were born. They moved to Marshall, MN to Golden Pond until 2002, then on to Boulder Estates in Marshall until 2006, then finally to the Minneota Manor. In 1999, John and Sug were awarded the bishop's medal for service to the church. Her hobbies included cooking, baking, and gardening. She raised some of Minnesota’s finest Gladiolus. Sug spent her married life nurturing her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Cooking chicken, darning socks, cleaning plastic bread sacks, took up a lot of her time. Her chicken put KFC to shame and her cinnamon rolls were to die for. During the move from Golden Pond to the Boulder Estates many truck loads of household goods were brought to Goodwill. The following week Mom repurchased many of the items she had previously owned. During the move from Boulder to the Minneota Manor the same items where trucked back to Goodwill. Survived by: Children: Dan (Arlene) Markell, Marshall, MN; Linda (Glenn) Pinkston, Richardson, TX; Lee (Jean) Markell, Eagan, MN; Deb (Wayne) Carlson, Hanley Falls, MN. Nine grandchildren: Aaron (Karla) Markell, Brady (Lauren) Markell, Kari Markell, Willie (Mandy) Pinkston, Todd (Erin) Pinkston, Nate (Jodi) Markell, Angie Markell, Mandy (Jon) Recker and Alissa (Bram) Burginger. Five great grandchildren: Noah and Braden Markell, Hannah Markell, Markelle and Bria Burginger, Sophie and Evelyn Recker. Siblings: Mary Como, Robert (Bob) Alcorn, Donald (Sandy) Alcorn. Preceded in death by her husband John, parents Elizabeth and Clifford Alcorn, and two brothers, Dr. Bill Alcorn and Jim Alcorn. Memories of Grandma Sug include: Schwan’s can full of Gladiolus for nearly every summer family event Volunteer for Western Community Action and Hospice Loving wife Ultimately patient and understanding Mother Doting Grandmother and Great grandmother Devout Catholic Relentless question asker and wannabe detective Excellent seamstress, sock darner and fabric remnant keeper Turned collars on John’s shirts to extend longevity Quilt maker (especially up north on extremely hot, humid days) Prim and proper, very soft spoken and ladylike Resourceful, ingenious, and ”green” before green was in No time spent on the beach, always in the kitchen Meticulous bookkeeper and accountant Nurturer Loyal friend Unaware of timelines Lover of picnics Excellent flower and vegetable gardener Lover of Rose, Gladiolus, Mums, Iris, Lilly