- Date Of Birth: April 4, 1929
- Date Of Death: April 13, 2023
- State: Minnesota
Marilyn Bennett, 94, formerly of Warren, passed away on Thursday morning, April 13th, at her home in Pelican Landing Memory Care in Detroit Lakes, MN.
Marilyn Arlene Erickson was born on April 4, 1929, at the family home in Foldahl Township, Marshall County, MN; the daughter of Arvid T. Erickson and Theresa Hunstad Erickson. She was raised on the farm in rural Foldahl and Alma Townships and graduated from Argyle, MN High School in 1947. On October 8, 1949, she was united in marriage to the love of her life Clifford W. Bennett at Alma Lutheran Church in rural Argyle, MN. The young couple made their home 10 miles east of Warren on their family farm in Comstock Township where they raised two daughters, Janie and Betsy. In 1975 they moved from the farm to a home in Warren. In Warren they lived in three different houses, these homes and a lake cottage were completely redecorated by Marilyn. She had the touch.
Marilyn graduated from North Star Teachers College in Warren in 1951 and from Moorhead State College in 1964 with a Bachelor of Education degree. Marilyn was an elementary school teacher for 43 years. She first taught grades 1-12 and K-8 in rural one room schoolhouses around Marshall County and then for 34 years was a 3rd grade teacher in Warren Public Schools. In 1983 she received Educator of the year at the Town and Country Banquet. The first Elementary teacher to do so. It was a difficult decision to retire because her love for educating children was her life, but she retired in 1992. She kept her hand in education by doing several projects each year in her daughter’s classroom.
Cliff preceded her in death on September 8, 2015. Marilyn continued to live at North Star Assisted Living in Warren until June of 2021 when she moved to Pelican Landing Memory care in Detroit Lakes, MN.
Marilyn was an active member of Grace United Methodist Church, Eastern Star and the Warren American Legion Auxiliary Unit 27. She was also a member of many educational organizations and committees.
Left to mourn her passing are her daughter Jane and son-in-law Doug Safar of rural Frazee, MN; grandchildren Nicole Safar, Gina and Andy Prose and Alyssa Whiting; 3 great-grandchildren, Bennett Prose, Harper Prose, and Cayden Hietala; sisters-in-law; Marianne Sager, Doris Erickson, and Cleo Bennett; as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-greats.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Arvid and Theresa; husband, Clifford; daughter Betty Boyd; two grandsons, Michael Whiting (infancy) and Brandon Whiting; brothers, Myron Erickson, Verne Erickson, and Arnie Erickson; her mother and father-in-law Frank and Sadie Bennett; sisters-in-law, Emma Erickson, Hazel Bennett, Arlene Bennett and Betty Voytilla; and brothers-in-law, GL. Bennett, Frank Bennett, Kenneth Bennett, and George Erickson. As well as her most recent “fur baby” puppy Pugsley, who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in January of 2023.
