Marilyn Joan Mortland

Marilyn Mortland age 72 of Marshall, MN and formerly of Tracy, MN died Friday, March 13, 2009 at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD. Services will be 2:00 PM Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at the Tracy United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 4:00 until 8:00 PM Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy, with a prayer service at 7:00 PM and continuing one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Interment will be at the Tracy City Cemetery. The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the arrangements. Marilyn Joan Mortland was born October 4, 1936 to Rudolph and Crystal (Ferguson) Stoltzman in Mankato, MN. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith and attended public school in Mankato. As a young woman she worked as a waitress at a café in Mankato. On Nov. 7, 1954 Marilyn married Dean Mortland at his parent’s farm near Lake Benton, MN. Dean was serving in the military at the time so they made their home in Baltimore, MD for a short time before his being stationed in St. Paul, MN. After his discharge they moved to Los Angeles, CA in 1957 before returning to Russell, MN that same year, as Dean accepted a teaching position there. They moved in 1959 to Atwater, MN until 1962, when they moved to Tracy, MN. During the years that followed, Marilyn was a wife and mother, raising her four children. In the early 1970’s she began working for several contractors in Marshall. Her work included painting and final inspection cleaning of new properties. In October of 1987 Marilyn was involved in a near fatal car accident. She recovered and was able to resume caring for her own household, but was forced into retirement. In 1989 when Dean retired from Tracy High School, they moved to Marshall and built a new retirement home. Marilyn was a past member of the Tracy United Methodist Church where she had taught Sunday school and was active in the church woman’s groups. Over the years she also was active in her children’s academic and sports activities. She enjoyed, cooking, keeping her house clean, and gardening, of which, she was well known for her superior garden, especially her tomatoes, without much extra effort. Her greatest love was her grandchildren and spending time with them and following all their accomplishments. In 2007 Marilyn’s health required her to become a resident of the Morningside Heights Care Center in Marshall and in February of 2009 she became a patient at the Avera-McKennan Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD. On Friday, March 13, 2009 Marilyn died, surrounded by her loving family, at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls at the age of 72. Marilyn is survived by her husband, Dean Mortland of Marshall, MN; one daughter, Sandy (Jeff Williams) Sik of Marshall, MN; three sons, Jim (Mary) Mortland of Marshall, MN, Dave Mortland of Sioux Falls, SD and Tom (Niki Anderson) Mortland of Colton, SD; nine grandchildren, James Mortland III, Jennifer Tuffs, Dustin Hoffman, Mitchell, Dylan, Malia, and Zachary Mortland, Cassidy Nelson and Staci Lubben; five great grandchildren, Riley and Jessica Tuffs, Abigail and Felicity Mortland and Sebastian Kron; three brothers, Robert Stoltzman of North Mankato, MN, Alvin Stoltzman, of Mankato, MN and Kirt (Glenda) Stoltzman of Kingston, OK; six sisters, Barbara Gannot of Marshall, MN, Susan (Howard) Korf of Denver, CO, June Sorrell of Columbus, IN, Cheryl (Todd) Simonson of Caddo, OK, Gail (Tom) Norris of Mankato, MN, and Jackie (Dave) Fideler of Sioux Falls, SD; many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends. Her parents, one infant grandson, one infant granddaughter, three sisters, Marlene Yowell, Lucille “Ann” Flatequal and Dorothy Stoltzman, and two brothers, L. Cpl. George Stoltzman and Rudolph “Butch” Stoltzman preceded her in death.