Thelma Marthaler

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Thelma Marthaler was a blessing to her family and friends. She was genuine in the way she cared about others, and her devotion to her family was unmatched. Thelma was never one to be dwell on the superficial; rather, her focus was on living life with all its challenges, guided along the way by her unwavering faith. A longtime resident of the community she loved, Thelma was the sort of person everyone seemed to know. She will be remembered for her beauty, her humor, and her loving spirit. Thelma will never be forgotten.

Nearly a century has passed since our nation lived through the vibrant decade of the Roaring Twenties. This was the decade that saw washing machines and refrigerators become part of our homes, motion pictures come to life in both color and sound, and the lights of Broadway shining brighter than ever before. Amidst this exciting time, Mikkal and Olga Johnson Mikkelson were eagerly anticipating the birth of their new baby as fall settled in on the town of Osakis, Minnesota, in 1923. The big day finally arrived when the baby girl they named Thelma drew her first breath. One of nine children in her family, she was baptized in Salem Lutheran Church and raised on the family farm in Gordon Township, Todd County near Osakis. Thelma needed to learn to use English as her primary language since her family was of Norwegian heritage. Once she mastered the language, she was a stickler for using correct grammar and proper usage of the English language for the rest of her life. Perhaps that’s one reason her son became an English major.

A young girl of her generation, Thelma attended County School District #63 through the eighth grade. In order to be able to attend high school, she had to move into the town of Osakis, boarding with a town family and working several jobs to pay her way. Thelma did a variety of things including cleaning homes and working at the local variety store and grocery store. Thelma was a student at Osakis High School, graduating in 1942. Throughout her life she was never afraid to put in a hard day at work.

In the fall of 1943, Thelma moved to Portland, Oregon, with her sister, Kate, and Kate’s husband Jos. Truly like “Rosie the Riveter,” she worked as a welder in the Kaiser Shipyards with her red hair tucked inside her welding hood as she worked. When the war ended in 1945, Thelma’s work came to an end as well. For many years she kept her welding gear as a remembrance. Sadly, there were very few pictures of her actually working in the shipyards.

After moving back to Osakis, Thelma married Alois Marthaler in August of 1946 at Saint Alexius Catholic Church in West Union. The newlyweds moved to Montevideo, in 1949, and it was there that they welcomed their son, Tim, in November of 1951. In 1955, the family moved to Sauk Centre, which would be her home for the rest of her life. Roger completed their family of four in October of 1956. Al owned and operated Marthaler Plumbing and Heating with Thelma keeping the books for the business.

As a mother, Thelma was second to none. She was an amazing encourager with a positive attitude and a heart that was completely selfless. As a young boy, Tim was in an accident that required travel to Gillette Children’s Hospital in Saint Paul to receive the needed medical care. Thelma and Tim took the train there, and despite being fearful of having to tackle making travel connections, Thelma persevered as she would go to any lengths necessary to care for her family. Her loving and caring spirit was also evident as she cared for Roger, who had many health challenges. Thelma was his primary caregiver for eight years before his death in 1970.

Roger’s death wasn’t the only hardship Thelma faced. Her husband died the following January, which brought her to into the workforce. Thelma worked in the lunchroom at Sauk Centre High School for a couple of years, and in 1973 she was hired as a bookkeeper and cashier at Lampert Lumber Company. She remained there until retiring in 1982.

In January of 1979, Thelma married Vince Grossman, a widower with two grown sons. His family became hers, and together they enjoyed attending community events and family celebrations.

Always one to be busy, Thelma was a woman of many interests. When she and Al were first married, they loved going out dancing. Thelma’s skills in the kitchen were unmatched, and among the family favorites were her brownies and caramel rolls, apple pie, and Norwegian specialties like lefse. After marrying Vince, she was convinced to travel with him to places like Hawaii; Branson, Missouri; Washington, D.C., and even a trip to Europe!

A longtime resident of her community, Thelma was involved in several organizations over the years. She belonged to St. Paul’s Catholic Church where she served as a Eucharistic Minister, Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853 and American Legion Post 67 Auxiliaries, St. Paul's Christian Mothers, and Daughters of Isabella Joan of Arc Circle of Melrose #568. In addition, Thelma was active in her knitting group, helped in the lunch room at Holy Family School, and volunteered at St. Michael's Hospital Gift Shop.

All who knew Thelma Marthaler would agree that there was no one who met her and left unchanged. She had a positive outlook, a warm smile, and a contagious zest for life that was impossible to miss. As someone who loved people, her errands were never quick since she stopped and talked to everyone along the way! Whether she was knitting an afghan to give away, caring for her son, or serving within her community, Thelma lived out her belief in serving others. She never met a stranger, and she loved telling others about her family that grew to include twin grandsons! Truly beautiful on the inside and out, she will be forever missed.

Thelma Marthaler died on Saturday, September 26, 2015. Thelma’s family includes her son, Tim (Nancy) Marthaler of Roseville; step-sons, John (Suzanne) Grossman of Hastings and Bruce (Jeannie) Grossman and family of Seattle, WA; twin grandsons, David Marthaler of Roseville and Jonathan (Lisa) Marthaler of Roseville; sisters, Arlene (Kenneth) Sorenson of Osakis, Charlotte Schultz of Osakis, and Marian Brynjulfson of Sauk Centre; sister-in-law, Shirley Gillan of Sauk Centre; and other family members. Thelma was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Alois Marthaler; second husband, Vincent Grossman; son, Roger Marthaler; brothers and sisters, Merlin Mikkelson, Kate Marthaler, Harry Mikkelson, Raymond Mikkelson, and Lela Sax. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, October 2, 2015 at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Rev. Greg Paffel will officiate with Rev. Andrew Marthaler concelebrating. Interment will be in St. Paul’s Cemetery in Sauk Centre. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday and from 9-10 a.m. Friday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday evening.