Marian Gullekson

Marian Lee Gullekson died peacefully on the June 23, 2025 at the Benedictine Care Center in Ada.

Marian Lee Gullekson, daughter of Robert Lee and Isabel Askew Lee, was born July 9, 1922 in Renwick, Iowa. She was raised on a farm southeast of Beltrami, attended one year of high school at Casselton, ND and graduated from Beltrami High School. She graduated from Moorhead State Teachers College and was a student teacher in Sabin, Mn. She taught country school at Koester, MN. She taught third and fourth grade for twenty years in the Beltrami School System.

In November 1943, Glen and Marian Gullekson moved to the first farm south of Beltrami. Joining the family was a son, Gary Kent Gullekson and a daughter Kaye Lee Gullekson. The Gulleksons, in partnership with their son Gary raised registered Holsteins producing Grade A milk. For many years, the "Belview Farms" sign was a landmark on the way to Beltrami. They were the honored dairy families representing West Polk County at the Red River Valley Winter Shows in 1978. The farm remains in the family, operated by Gary and grandson, Grant.

Marian was a member of the Beltrami United Methodist Church. She taught Sunday School, and served as Financial Secretary of the Church. She was member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Teachers Sorority, Beltrami Garden Club and a 4-H Leader. Her hobbies included arts, crafts, sewing, baking and gardening. Her sewing skills were outstanding and she taught her daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter to make prize-winning 4-H sewing projects. She was an enthusiastic Minnesota Twins fan and had an impressive knowledge of baseball statistics.

Glen and Marian were travel enthusiasts. They traveled to all 48 contiguous states, Canada, Alaska and Mexico. They enjoyed dancing together and regularly went to supper clubs to dance. Marian was a wonderful cook and hostess and often opened her home to family and friends. Her great grandchildren spent many happy summers on the farm.

Marian resisted going to assisted living because she wanted to stay in the "house that Glen brought me to 70 years ago." In 2018, she moved to Benedictine Care Community, where she was quite the crafter and Bingo player.

She is survived by her sister, Phyllis Hanson; son Gary Gullekson; grandchildren Lee Ann (Jeff) Grimley, Grant (Rachel) Gullekson, Lana Kaye Gullekson, Alicia Stringfield, and Anthony Gillund. Her great grandchildren are Anna (Riley) Thiesfeld, Joseph (Aleasea) Grimley, Ella Anderson, Gustav Gullekson and Granger Gullekson, Jacob and Lindsey Stringfield, Jonah and Samantha Gillund, Also surviving are her great great grandchildren, Lillian Lee and Monty Thiesfeld, Jensen and Drue Grimley, Mac, Micah, and William Gillund, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Glen, daughter Kaye, daughter-in-law Jennifer, parents Robert and Isabelle Lee, and her brothers Robert and Willard Lee.

A family and friends service will be held at 3pm on July 1 at Stenshoel-Houske in Crookston. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Beltrami.