Marjorie (Marj) Parker

Marjorie (Marj) Angeline Parker, age 94, of Ortonville, MN passed away Dec. 27th at St. Williams Nursing Home in Milbank, SD

Funeral Services will be held Friday, December 30, 2016 at 1:30 at Mundwiler Funeral Home in Milbank, SD with Father Gary DeRouchey officiating. Burial will follow at Mound Cemetery in Ortonville, MN.

Honorary bearers: Staff at St. Williams, Park Place, Fairway View and Family.

Marjorie Angeline (Baerwaldt) Parker was born January 8, 1922, in Beardsley, MN, to Herman and Lizzie (Adams) Baerwaldt. As the oldest child, she helped with cooking, baking, laundry, and caring for her 4 younger siblings during the depression of the 1930’s. Walking two miles every day, she attended Beardsley School and graduated with the class of 1941. Known as a “good worker”, she found various employment opportunities as a domestic helper and was highly sought after as a cook for thrashers during harvest time. Clinton, MN became her new home when she found employment at Crooks Department Store. This employment allowed Marj to expand her passion for fashion designing, sewing, and color/texture matching.

At a dance in Beardsley, just before WWII began, Marj met William (Bill) Parker, and this blossomed into a 3 year long distance letter writing relationship. After Bill returned home from the war, they were joined in marriage on November 26, 1947, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Beardsley, MN. Following their marriage, they made their home in Ortonville, MN. To this union, Marj and Bill were blessed with two daughters, Linda and Karen. Bill worked first as a mechanic at Lohman’s Chevrolet Garage and then at Ortonville Public School until his death in 1983. During the 1950’s, Marjorie stayed at home caring for their daughters, taking employment as needed and as available. Various places she worked in Ortonville included J.C.Penney’s, National Tea, Sears, and in the 1960’s became a Kindergarten and Day Activity Center bus driver for Ortonville Public School, retiring in 1986.

After Bill’s passing, Marj learned to do her own property improvements. This included painting, staining, tarring her driveway, plastering, tree trimming, vegetable/flower gardening and mowing her lawn with the “old-time” manual push blade mower well into her late 80’s, which amazed everyone. After retirement she spent the winter months in Naples, Florida. While in Florida, she enjoyed swimming, walking the ocean beaches hunting for sea shells, browsing Flee Markets, sewing, crafting, cooking and spending time with her special friend Jerry Peschong. Her all-time favorite activity, no matter the location, was socializing and DANCING.

Preceding Marjorie in death were her parents Herman and Lizzie; husband Bill; daughter Karen (Parker) Bueng; two brothers, Morris (Bud) and Everett (Bubs) Baerwaldt; brother-in-law Jack Joyce and special friend Jerry.

Left to cherish her memory include daughter Linda (Ron) Schmidt of Correll, MN; son-in-law Conrad Bueng of Moorhead, MN; brother Kenneth (Nancy) Baerwaldt of Findlay, OH; sister Shirley Joyce of Mesa, AZ; three grandchildren, Jason (Kris) Schmidt, Janelle (Marty) Montplaisir, and JoAnn Schmidt; three great grandchildren Hailey, Courtney, and Ian; three sister-in-laws, Shirley Baerwaldt, Donna Baerwaldt, and Joan Parker; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.