Marion Erdahl, 93, passed away on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at Sanford Hospice Foundation Cottage in Sioux Falls. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, June 9, 2025, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church with a visitation starting at 9:00 AM.

This service will be live-streamed on the church's YouTube page. You may use this link to join live: click here

(The Story of Marion JE Bolstad Erdahl)

February 25, 1932, was an eventful day on the Kinley and Nora (Nelson) Bolstad homestead just east of Homestead, Montana.  It was the day that Marion Jean Esther Bolstad was born.  There was a winter snowstorm and no one could travel in the blizzard.  No doctor or midwife could come.  Kinley delivered his baby girl wrapped her in white fluffy cotton batting and presented their baby to Nora.  The cotton batting stuck to the new baby's skin and Kinley had a hard time cleaning it off the new little one.  Marion was the girl they had always wanted after having three boys in a row.  Marion's youngest brother was born in 1934.  The two of them would play house, as Marion wanted a sister, and her little brother Kermit happily complied and followed her lead. There were many occasions with Marion and Kermit wearing dresses while they had tea parties or played "going to church or going shopping!"

Marion grew up on the family farm. Her father raised cattle and wheat.  Childhood activities included horseback riding, swimming in the lake in the summer, playing kitten ball, and sledding in the winter with her four brothers.  She attended country school and walked or rode her horse "Pete" two miles to school.  The shortcut to school was across a neighbor's pasture.  A huge ground-pawing bull put fear in her but the bull never did give chase.  The country school was known for its wonderful programs at Christmas time.  This was the highlight of their school year for both the children and their parents.  It was at this school that Marion learned some of her study habits, self-discipline, and traditional life values. Country school was followed by a public school in Medicine Lake, MT.

An interest in music led Marion to attend Oak Grove High School in Fargo, North Dakota for her Junior and Senior years – graduating in 1950.  Besides the regular curriculum, she was able to continue her education in piano, choir, and band - playing the trombone.  Basketball was just beginning as a popular sport for girls.  Marion was a member of the basketball team and President of the Girls Athletic Association.  4-H and Home Economics classes helped her develop an interest in Clothing Design, cooking, and creative crafts.

Marion attended Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN for two years (1950-1952).  She majored in Home Economics.  Some of the extra-curricular activities that she participated in were: the Home Economics Club, Luther League, Drama Club, League of Women Voters, and Augsburg Choral Club.  She also met her husband Dale Erdahl, who was also a student at Augsburg.  Following two years of courtship they were married on December 28, 1952, at the Country Church east of Homestead Montana.  The newlyweds settled in their new home on the Erdahl family farm east of Blue Earth, MN.  Although their home had running water and a bathtub it did not have a plumbed toilet for several years.  Her oldest two children knew what an "outhouse" was and experienced the good old days for real.

As a farmwife and homemaker, Marion had many varied experiences. She helped out where and when she was needed - in the corn, bean, or hay fields or in the barn helping deliver baby calves, sheep, or pigs.  On one of the days, when the sheep were having their babies, Dale instructed her how to deliver the lamb because his hands were very large but Marion's hands were small and she saved the mother sheep and baby from dying.  She also helped raise chickens and process them for food for the family to eat.

Marion's homemaking skills included: Sewing drapes, quilts, and clothes for her family, gardening, processing, and canning fruits and vegetables, and making Lefse, and all the good Norwegian foods (cookies, bread, and meatballs).  Not a Christmas passed without Swedish meatballs and Lefse and all the homemade cookies and donuts.  No one kept a cleaner house than "Mrs. Clean", the nickname her family gave her. "Chores" came before play and we all knew what our "work chores were." If we didn't do a good enough job – Mrs. Clean would make us do it all over again.

During the 25 years of living on the farm Marion and Dale were blessed with four children.  As a mother, she became involved as a 4-H leader, Boy Scout Den Mother, piano teacher, Dell Lutheran Church Ladies Aide Bible Studies, Sunday School and Youth Leader, Choir Director, and organist. She was very involved in her children's spiritual lives and the Agape Messengers (a High School singing group that traveled to other churches and put on programs doing skits, singing, reading scripture, and witnessing for Jesus).  She helped support the youth by praying for them, providing food, and opening her home for the youth to come and meet and sing "Kumbaya" and other songs around the campfire.  She always had good food prepared and everyone felt welcomed and loved.  These were busy years for Marion but the years were very fulfilling.  After the children were grown and Marion and Dale had moved off the farm to a lake home in Fairmont, MN (1976), she found volunteer work to be rewarding.  She volunteered for the Red Cross Bloodmobile and the Fairmont Hospital Auxiliary and also at Grace Lutheran Church (Bible study, choir, sewing alter paraments, church banners, and quilting).

Marion started working as an aide to the Reading Program in the local school.  She enjoyed working with students who needed help in remedial reading.  This experience re-created a deep concern and desire to help young people who needed someone who cared about them.  She also used her creative talents in designing bulletin boards in the reading rooms.

After a divorce in 1984, Marion attended Mankato State, Mankato, MN.  It was there that she accomplished her dreams of becoming a college graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics in 1987.  She taught High School Home Economics and Early Childhood Education in Harmony, MN for several years.

In 1992, Marion moved from Harmony, MN, to Sioux Falls, SD.  She started a new career in the Alterations Department at Dayton's and subsequently Marshall Fields and Macy's.  She received the honor of being one of Dayton's finest employees and received recognition for not only her sewing skills but customer service and being a supportive employee to others she worked with.  She was always willing to go the extra mile and there wasn't anything that she couldn't fix when altering.  She was a true problem-solver throughout her life.  When she retired from working at Macy's, she enjoyed continuing to do sewing alterations out of her home.  She always had sewing to do.  She also enjoyed the freedom to make trips to see her children and grandchildren.  She put her priorities into her family and friends and found the time to just drop everything and help her family with child care, sewing projects, or other adventures like going on a trip to Hawaii, to lake homes, to sporting events, ballet, and piano recitals, and more.  She also passed on her love of making lefse as she taught all her grandchildren how to make lefse.  A legacy that her family will always remember.

When life became too difficult to live in her own home, she moved to Trail Ridge Assisted Living.  She had a lovely apartment and decorated it with all her favorite things from her house.  She felt at home at Trail Ridge and enjoyed the food, craft activities, Bingo, and all the entertainment and concerts and wonderful loving staff.  She also made many friends and had coffee every afternoon with good friends and good treats.

Marion entered the Sanford Foundation Hospice Cottage on January 30, 2025.  She never lost her sense of humor and she loved the nurses and staff that cared for her.  She brought joy to those who came to visit her and those who took care of her.  Her faith in God never wavered from her strong Norwegian Lutheran upbringing as a child – attending Oak Grove High School and Augsburg College – being a faithful servant in the churches she attended – sharing her love of the Lord with all her family, friends, and others.  Her final wish was to go to sleep and wake up in Heaven.  God heard her prayer.  Marion died at noon on May 6, 2025.  Marion was a witness for Jesus in life and also in death.

She was preceded in death by her son, David, and her four brothers, Donald (Betty), Harold (Pearl), Jim, and Kermit (Marilyn) Bolstad.  She is survived by her daughter, Diane Pabst (Gary) of Sioux Falls, SD; sons, Dan Erdahl (Sue) of Lake City, MN, Dana Erdahl (Jennifer) of Saint Michael, MN; and grandchildren, Kari Beckendorf (Dale), Katie Kruger (Darrell), Mariya Pabst; Kelly Wells (Cathy), Nick Wells (Joy), David Erdahl (Sarah), Ali Erdahl, Audrey Erdahl, Jack Erdahl, Hank Erdahl, Elle Erdahl; seven great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Adeline Bolstad; and nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers – memorials can be directed to Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp or donor's choice.

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