MARY “MARIE” WALDNER

Mary (Marie) Wurtz was born to Jacob and Anna Wurtz at the Bonhome Colony in Manitoba, Canada on October 28, 1931. The first of sixteen children. As a young woman at 18 she moved with her family to the Glendale Colony at Frankfurt, SD in 1949 .

In 1952, Mary moved to Spink Colony at Frankfort, SD and married Sam Waldner. As there were three Mary’s in the colony already Sam started calling her Marie; as she was known by all. Out of this union twelve children were born. In 1959 she moved to the Plainview Colony near Ipswich, SD with her family. Besides home making and regular chores she served as a cook for the infirm, butchering stewing hens for chicken soup if needed.

In 1968, Sam was entered into the colony’s ministry creating new obligations and duties for Marie which she served until his retirement from health issues. In 1971 she moved to The Deerfield Colony near Leola, SD, serving as the millinery clerk for the colony until 2013.

In 1983 she moved to the Newport Colony near Claremont, SD where she served as the head cook until 1988. She continued in colony duties until failing health forced her retirement. She passed away on Saturday, December 10, 2022 from complications from a stroke on December 1, 2022.

Surviving her are sons: Sam (Claudia) Waldner of Claremont, SD, Ray (Lillian) Waldner of Britton, SD, Ike Waldner of Webster, SD, Richard (Martha) Waldner of Leola, SD, Nat (Carolyn) Waldner of Leola, SD, Peter (Margaret) Waldner of Leola, SD and Joseph (Ruth) Waldner of Britton, SD; her daughters: Marie (Mike) Waldner of Rosholt, SD, Rachel (Lenard) Decker of Madison, SD and Emma (William) Kleinsasser of Rosholt, SD.

Preceding her in death are her husband, Sam Waldner of Newport Colony; and her sons: Stanley Waldner of Deerfield Colony, SD and Jerry Waldner of Portland, OR.

To get ahead of the upcoming snow storm the wake was held Sunday, December 11, 2022 and the funeral was Monday, December 12, 2022 at Newport Colony near Claremont, SD.