Marlys (Sargent) Engelstad, of Florence, died Monday, Aug. 2. She was 89 years old.
A native of Crookston, Minnesota, she graduated from the Northwest School of Agriculture before attending the University of Minnesota. In 1952, she married the love of her life, Orvis Engelstad. During their life together they lived in Minnesota, then Ames, Iowa, while Orvis finished graduate school, before settling in Florence, Alabama, in 1960.
She was a devoted mother to their three children and a talented homemaker. She was known for her cooking, especially during the holidays and for large family dinners, grew an impressive garden and loved her roses. Her recipes and the hand-knit sweaters she made the grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be passed down for generations.
She was talented in so many other ways. She loved singing and spent 50 years as a member of the choir at First United Methodist Church. She also sang with the Mother Singers group, which entertained at nursing homes and local elementary schools for decades. She was a member of the Forest Hills Gardening Club and had a tight knit group of women she played bridge with whom she was lucky enough to call lifelong friends. She was involved in the League of Women Voters and later was active in the Institute for Learning in Retirement at UNA. In 2014, she was named a “Northwest School of Agriculture Top Aggie” and traveled to Minnesota to accept the award.
Marlys loved traveling with Orvis, especially camping with their children and grandchildren. While they traveled abroad extensively in retirement and to all 50 states, her favorite place they visited was to Alaska, where they traveled more than once.
Marlys was preceded in death by her husband, Orvis, her parents, Howard and Ethel Sargent, and siblings Edward Sargent, Lois Smith, Clarence Sargent, and Marian Barron.
She is survived by her daughter, Kristin Seabol; sons, Dr. Stephen Engelstad (Debbie) and Martin Engelstad (Jennifer); grandchildren, Lydia Avant (Michael), Andrea Henderson-Buchanan (Trent), Sean and Sarah Engelstad; and six great-grandchildren, Kennedy, William and Eliza Avant, Ann Parker Henderson, Anders and Nelson Buchanan. She also is survived by many nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in the sanctuary of First Methodist Church in Florence, with visitation in McDowell Hall at the church from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. The Rev. Dale Cohen will officiate. Burial will follow at Greenview Cemetery. Elkins Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Sean Engelstad, Michael Avant, Trent Buchanan, Andy Betterton, Michael Broder and Terry Buchanan will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers include Bill Sutherland, Dave Mays, Myles Engelstad, Don Smith and Craig Linhoss. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any gifts be made to the Florence First United Methodist Church music or garden fund. The family also would like to send special thanks for the care provided by Dr. John Bartmess.
Marlys was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend, and will be deeply missed.
