Stevensville – Marsha Kalkofen lived, laughed and loved. After 81 years of living, laughing and loving, Marsha Kalkofen bid this earth goodbye.
Marsha moved to the Bitterroot Valley with husband of 56 years, Jim, nine years ago. While mountain vistas occupied her outdoor senses, three grandkids begged her to move 1,111 miles west from the Brainerd lakes area of Minnesota to Stevensville. They were the love of her life and her pride and joy. Each moment watching them play sports (James, 10, football; Ila, 13, volleyball; and Ava, 16, track and flag football) or at home studying or sharing their latest escapades or planting flowers or just being nearby was special.
The grandkids belong to Marsha and Jim’s son Nate and his wife Ashlie. They live in Lolo. Marsha and Jim also shared laughs and life with their daughter Erica. She has her home-remodeling, kitchen and bath design and real estate companies in Lakewood, Colorado.
Marsha’s sisters Myrna and Carin live in Wisconsin. She was preceded in death by sister LuAnn and parents Mabel and Walter Johnson.
She grew up in North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, about two hours north of Milwaukee. After high school, she received a nursing degree and became an operating room nurse. She did that in Madison where she met her husband. She continued her operating room duties in Seattle while Jim served in Vietnam for two years. She often boasted that the reason they married was because she had a car (1967 Buick). They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary last September.
Her next cross-country move was to Wautoma, Wisconsin. After four years of Jim managing the weekly newspaper, her next locale was northern Wisconsin for four years while Jim worked in marketing at MEPPS, the French spinner tackle company.
During this period, daughter Erica was born, followed by son Nate. These bundles of energy occupied her every waking moment. As a stay-at-home-mom, large gardens were the norm. Cooking venison and fish was a necessity. Her kids thought she was psychic because when they came to her for a second opinion of Jim’s decision, her response was always the same.
The next move was south to Fond du Lac, home of Mercury Marine, where Jim worked in marketing from 1980 to 1990. Marsha was very active in her churches along the way. With the kids advancing in school, Marsha took to her next passion, working in a women’s boutique and creating window displays that drew customers into the store.
The next quarter century involved another move north to Brainerd, Minnesota. Jim’s duties as executive director of the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail kept him on the road and water across North America. Marsha accompanied him on many journeys. She also managed huge banquets and dinner parties for many groups. She volunteered and loved the men at the Teen Challenge center in the area.
She seemed to be in perpetual motion with hobbies such as hiking, cooking, gardening with flowers a specialty, sewing, knitting, reading, Bible studies, cheering the Packers and volunteering especially if decorating was on the agenda.
Her creativity manifested itself in how she designed several of the homes the family lived in. After the contractors completed their tasks, she was almost as proud of the homes as she was of her children. She designed their Stevensville home.
Friends were easily made at every stop along her path. So were the furry kind. She loved every critter that found its way to her encouraging words. Springer spaniels, yellow labs, beagles, an Irish setter and a few Heinz 57 varieties came when she called.
She died in peace at BeeHive Homes in Hamilton Jan. 23. A celebration will be held at Dayspring Church in Florence on Saturday, Feb. 14, starting at 1 p.m. A catered lunch will follow. She wanted there to be more laughs than tears at her passing. Her written request was that Christmas music and one of her favorite songs be shared, “Down to the River to Pray,” by Allison Kraus.
In lieu of flowers, she encourages friends to support the scholarships that help send 225 Bitterroot Valley youth to week-long outdoor camps this summer. Donations in Marsha’s name are welcome. Checks to Montana Conservation Elders may be dropped at her Feb. 14 funeral/celebration. More details at montanayouthoutdoors.org. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.
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