Misc. Notes
Spouses
Death10 Jul 2004, Beatrice NE
Birth4 Sep 1927, Menno or Lesterville, Hutchinson County, SD
BurialEvergreen Home Cemetery, Beatrice, Nebraska
OccupationHomemaker, quilter
Education2 years at Augustana College, Sioux Falls SD
ReligionLutheran
Marriage28 Aug 1949, in Rapid City SD
BurialHill of Rest Memorial Park, Sioux Falls, SD
Birth28 Jun 1926, Davis, Turner County, South Dakota
Death3 May 2021, Sioux Falls, SD
EducationLennox high school, Augustana College 1948
OccupationHigh School English teacher
Misc. Notes
Marilyn Maurstad, 94, of Sioux Falls, passed away on May 3, 2021 at Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls, with her niece and her pastor by her side. A graveside service will be held at 9:15 AM on Saturday, May 22 at Hills of Rest Cemetery in Sioux Falls. A Memorial Service will follow at 10:00 AM at the George Boom Funeral Home. The family requests that masks be worn.
Marilyn was born on June 28, 1926, in Davis, SD, to Oscar and Esther (Hansen) Burke. At age 2, she survived the Davis tornado, which seriously damaged the building where she lived, and in which she and her family were taking cover. The family moved to Viborg, SD, in 1932.
In 1937, as the Great Depression was taking its toll, the Burkes moved to the West Coast in search of better employment opportunities. Marilyn was 11. The family spent most of that time in Washington and Oregon, where the tough times helped to forge some lifelong friendships.
In 1939, the family returned to South Dakota, and Marilyn graduated from Lennox High School in 1944. Marilyn attended Augustana College and graduated with a degree in English in 1948. She enjoyed a long and successful career as an English teacher, first in Watertown, SD, then in Lincoln, NE, and at Washington High School in Sioux Falls. She finally settled in 1955 in the St. Louis Park Public Schools in Minnesota, where she stayed until her retirement in the mid '80's.
After retirement, Marilyn became very active in church, and she developed a strong interest in social justice issues. Her church at the time, St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Bloomington, MN, offered many important opportunities for her to be of service. A trip to Nicaragua was an especially influential experience, and she remained grateful for everything that she learned there for the rest of her life. Later in life, she became a dedicated supporter of organizations that promote social justice.
In 2001, Marilyn moved to Sioux Falls. She joined First Lutheran Church, and was active there for many years. In 2005, she married Ingolf Maurstad, a college boyfriend from 57 years earlier. They were married until his death in 2017. Marilyn lived her last decade or so at Dow Rummel Village, where she enjoyed a supportive community of friends and loving caregivers.
Throughout her lifetime, Marilyn enjoyed many rich friendships and deep family ties. She was an avid traveler, and was blessed with some long-standing travel companions who accompanied her to Australia, Norway, Holland, Greece, and beyond. She enjoyed the theater, the Symphony, and the visual arts. She was fun--a lively conversationalist who was always well-read and always well-informed. She was a loyal friend to many, and was always eager to be of service to friends in need. She was deeply loved by her sister and her sister's family, and was very much a part of their immediate family.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Esther (Hansen) Burke; her husband, Ingolf Maurstad; and her brother-in-law, Edward Mansfield. Forever grateful for having shared her life are her sister, Eunice Mansfield, her nieces Margaret "Meg" Mansfield and Lisa Nell (Dave) Jarvis, and her nephew, Paul (Kyle) Mansfield.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Lutheran World Relief, or to a charity of your choice.