Victoria – Marjorie Hanson, 97, passed away on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at Emerald Crest Memory Care, Victoria.
We like to think that Marjorie Genevieve Hanson (née Ofstedahl) drifted off to sleep dreaming of her beloved Silas. It’s easy to imagine the two of them dancing the night away to Patsy Cline’s Tennessee Waltz, with Si gently humming the beat in her ear. Marjorie’s long life of 97 years was, according to those of us who knew her best, most marked by the great love she shared with her husband of 62 years. Their relationship began as most do, a meeting of chance and just the right circumstances. A blizzard in Crookston in February 1946 left Marjorie and her good friend Elfie Hanson in need of a ride home to Thief River Falls, when along came Elfie’s big brother Silas, who happened to be driving through. Less than a year later (January 1947), the two were married at the Silverton Lutheran Church in Pennington County.
The young couple moved to the homestead owned by Si’s uncle, Henry Hanson, in Silverton Township, and it was here they began to shape the course of their life together. Marge was never destined to be the typical farmer’s wife of the time, and not too long after the births of her two children, Ross (1949) and Linnae (1954), she sought employment in Thief River Falls. She worked at Union Bank and later took over the local motor vehicle office and operated this until 1971.
In her later years, especially following Si’s death (2009), Marjorie succumbed to progressive dementia. She spent the end of her life in a memory care facility in Victoria, where she was often visited by family and friends who would do their best to connect and relive her fondest memories. And for a while, there were some memories that even dementia couldn’t erase. Her childhood along the Turkey River, near Cresco, Iowa, was one of those things. There she was raised by her parents, John and Mildred Ofstedahl, along with her older siblings, Goldie Posner Millar and John (Bub) Ofstedahl, and her younger sister, Janet Taylor. Later, the family moved to Plummer, where they found land to farm. Marjorie attended a country school before she left home to attend the NW School of Agriculture in Crookston, where she graduated in 1943.
The mention of the Pennington County Fair was another part of Marge’s life that never failed to spark recognition in her – whether it was reminiscing about 4-H or her role on the Fair Board, not to mention all the things she exhibited at the fair, such as her intricately beautiful quilts and decadent floral arrangements. She was known to be an expert gardener, transforming her yard into a miniature arboretum, complete with a “magical forest” to delight her grandchildren. Never one to do anything halfway, Marge put an equal amount of effort into her quilts, many of which now rest on the beds of just about everyone in her family.
For anyone who knew Marge in the prime of her rich and active life, the word that best describes her is “proud.” One could argue that her tongue was sometimes a bit too sharp or her expectations a bit too high, but what was never up for debate was her love for and pride in her family and all that she achieved alongside Si. She and her husband built businesses together, made wise investments, and established themselves as active contributors to the community. Together they created a life and a legacy from humble beginnings and worked incredibly hard every day to earn the right to live as they desired in later years.
In what can only be referred to as an active retirement, Si and Marge bought a second home in Texas to escape the cold Minnesota winters (at Marge’s behest) and established an antiques store called “The Shed” in Thief River Falls to sell the many treasures that Si had accumulated (to Marge’s annoyance).
Marjorie’s zest for life, her work ethic, and her love of family are best remembered by those she is survived by: her son, Ross (Jan) Hanson, Waconia; daughter, Linnae (Mark) Enge, Williams; and her six grandchildren: Aaron (Allie) Enge of Thief River Falls, Amy (Steve) Olson of Thief River Falls, Casey (Jessica) Enge of Wheatland, ND, Berit (Emil) Framnes of Oslo, Norway, Courtney (Adam) Blount of Mound, and Mallory (Adam) Perdue of Chaska. She is also the great grandmother to: Hannah and Nolan Enge; Abe, Annie, and Ike Olson; Lane, Boone, and Sloane Enge; Mathia and Anneli Framnes; Sonja and Cooper Blount; and Britta, Marius, and Torin Perdue.
Marjorie is preceded in death by her husband, Silas (2009); parents; brother, John Jr.; sisters, Goldie and Janet; along with many nieces and nephews.
Marge died at the age of 97 years and 25 days. May her memory be blessed.
The service to celebrate Marjorie’s life will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, December 28, 2023 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, with Pastor Arlen Solem officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Silverton Lutheran Cemetery, rural Thief River Falls.
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