Marian Evangeline Repnow, 95, formerly of Underwood, died Sunday, October 18, 2015 at the Benedictine Living Center in Garrison. Funeral Services will be on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015 at 10 a.m., at St. John's Lutheran Church, Underwood. Interment will be at Our Savior's Lutheran Cemetery, rural Mercer at 1: 30 p.m. Her family will be receiving family and friends at St. John's Lutheran Church, Underwood, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, November 2, 2015, with a prayer service at 7 p.m.

Marian was born February 21, 1920 on the family homestead north of Mercer to John Fredrick and Lydia (Wagner) Christensen, the second oldest of 11 children. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. She enjoyed visits to her maternal grandparents Fred and Elizabeth (Schindler) Wagner in Pickardville. She attended country school at Sprout School in Wise Township graduating from the 8th grade. She was needed at home to help with the raising of family thus postponing her high school education until the fall of 1941. She enrolled at Minnehaha Academy, a Christian high school in Minneapolis, and graduated with the class of 1945. In January of 1946 she enrolled at Bethesda School of Nursing St. Paul, MN which included course work at Gustavus Adophlus at St. Peter, MN. She graduated with the class of 1949 and remained life-long friends with her Bethesda classmates. She had a strong work ethic and while attending high school and nurses training, she worked in private homes doing housework and child care to support herself.

Her nursing career started in St. Paul, and in time she was employed at Trinity Hospital in Minot. She was instrumental in helping establishing nursing care at the Hazen and Watford City Hospitals. In 1952 she was employed as the first superintendent of nursing at the Turtle Lake Hospital. She was later employed at the Prairieview Nursing Home in Underwood where she had a genuine concern for the elderly for over 20 years.

On June 18, 1952 she was united in marriage to TeRoy G. Repnow at Our Saviors Church in Mercer. To this marriage were born five sons: Thomas, Neal, Oliver, Charles and Kelly. In addition to her nursing career, she and TeRoy owned and operated Underwood Electric, Underwood Laundromat, Coast to Coast Hardware, and a mobile home park. Her assistance with the bookkeeping and day to day operations of these businesses was essential.

Marian was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Underwood where she was active in the ladies group and taught Sunday School. She was a charter member of the Harmony Homemakers and is credited with naming the club in the fall of 1963. She was also a charter member of the Midstate Porcelain Art Guild. In both clubs, she served in leaderships roles. She enjoyed being a den mother when her sons were involved in Scouts. She expected her sons to take an interest in music, especially singing.

She relished spending time with family and treasured her time as grandmother and great grandmother. She took a special interest in family history and reunions. She was quick to capture family memories with her camera and continued this passion until her eyesight didn't allow. She started collecting antiques in the 1940's and used them in the family home. She appreciated her weekly china painting classes for over 30 years, and she gifted her hand painted china to many. She found time spent with embroidery, reading, or cross words puzzles after a busy day to be relaxing.

She believe in the thought that "there is no such thing as women's work--only work." This inspired her to teach their sons to cook. She was an excellent cook and her delicious apple pies were enjoyed often. Preserving 700 jars of vegetables and fruits was standard fair for many years. This process included her spending time in the garden with TeRoy for planting and harvest which they both enjoyed. She was blessed with a green thumb which was easily viewed by her inspiring houseplants and flower garden.
She was admired for being a kind, polite, and caring nurse, mother, and grandmother. She will missed by family and friends who valued her quiet and unassuming manner.

Her loving family includes: Son—Thomas, and his wife Delila (Schell), Underwood, and their children Melissa and (Derrick) Fischer and their children Alex, Kennedi, and Aricka; Chad and son, Gage; Christopher and (Melody) and their children, Levi, Aidan, and Lane; Son—Neal and his wife Shirley (Stebbins), Underwood, and their children; Nikki (Kent) Betzold and their children Hannah, Emily and Wyatt; Bobbi (Chad) Oates and their children Hailey and Mitchell; Son—Oliver, Underwood; Son—Charles and his wife Jan (Thompson), Minot, and their daughter Lydia; Son—Kelly and his wife Lois (Atkinson) of Palmer, AK, and their children Kewaunee, Quoddy, Yaquina, Bodie, Tybee, Heceta, Sankaty and Marquette. Sisters: Eleanor Anderson, Bismarck; Grace (Ervin) Sackman, Silverlake, KS; Joyce Lloyd, Mira Loma, CA; Sisters-in--law; Betty Christensen-Blue Earth, Brookings, SD; Dorothy Repnow, Coupeville, WA; Elaine Repnow, Mandan; Violet Repnow, Bismarck; Doris Repnow, Minot; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Marian was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years; parents; her in-laws, Walter and Bertha (Anderson) Repnow; brothers, Ernest, Oliver, Orville, Curtis and Earl; sisters Jane Elizabeth and Marjorie Scholl.