Marie Martinson

Marie Margaret Martinson was born on December 10, 1931 to Louis and Margaret (DeWitte) DeToy on a farm near Jasper, Minnesota. When she was five years old, she moved with her family to a farm closer to Jasper where she was raised and attended school in District 26. Upon completion of her education, she began working at Rae’s Café in Jasper. When asked how she met her husband, she always told her children she threw out her fishing pole and reeled him in! On May 28, 1950, she was united in marriage to DeWane Martinson at the Jasper Evangelical Lutheran Church. Following their marriage, they lived on DeWane’s parents’ farm. Two years later, they rented a farm in Moody County, South Dakota where Marie raised their children and helped on the farm. In December, 1963, they moved to a farm in Highland Township of Minnehaha County, South Dakota. They later purchased this farm. In 1983, Marie began working as a CNA at Palisade Manor Nursing Home in Garretson, South Dakota. A short time later, she became employed as a CNA in the stepdown heart unit at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Three years later, she returned to work at Palisade Manor Nursing Home. Her husband preceded her in death on July 25, 2002. After his death, Marie continued to live on the farm and work at the nursing home. When she was diagnosed as having cancer in 2003, she retired. In November, 2016, she moved to Dell Rapids, South Dakota where her son Dennis also lived. Marie passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at Ava’s Hospice House in Sioux Falls at 94 years, 4 months and 26 days.

Marie was a member of the Jasper Evangelical Lutheran Church. She was also a member of the Ladies Aid there and enjoyed serving on the funeral committee. She was known by her family as a workhorse. She enjoyed and was extremely good at cooking and baking for her family and friends. Before busy with kids and family, she enjoyed bowling and was a part of the women's Jasper bowling league.

She is lovingly remembered by her seven children, Dennis (Diane) Martinson of Dell Rapids, South Dakota, Marlene Ellefson of Fargo, North Dakota, Robert (Rudilyn) Martinson of Roseville, Minnesota, Glenn (Peggy) Martinson of Huron, South Dakota, Perriann (Jim) Nelson of Panama City Beach, Florida, Robin (Allen) Wick of Mesa, Arizona, and Craig Martinson of Luverne, Minnesota; seven grandsons; one granddaughter and five great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, DeWane; her two grandsons, Nick and Corey Zieske; son-in-law, Dennis Ellefson; and six siblings, Jim DeToy, Leona Stelling, Helen DeSchepper, Irene Padgett, Clara Elverson, and Carol Zimprich.