Marion Voxland

Marion Voxland, 91, passed away May 12, 2018, at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm Thursday, May 17, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 106 Osage Ave., Bismarck, with Rev. Craig Schweitzer officiating. Family will greet guests one hour prior to the service at the church. Cremation has taken place. Burial will be held at Holden Lutheran Cemetery in Kenyon, Minnesota. Ruth Marion Voxland was born April 18, 1927, at Kenyon, MN, to Roy and Marie (Langemo) Voxland.  She was the oldest of 5 children.  She attended rural schools and Kenyon High School.  Her high school years were interrupted by several months stay at a Rochester hospital while she recovered from polio but she graduated from Kenyon High School in 1945.   She went on to attend St. Olaf College, Northfield MN majoring in public school music.  She was fortunate to be a member of the renowned St. Olaf Choir and toured with them to both East and West Coasts.   Following her graduation in 1949 she took her first teaching positions in Iowa and Minnesota schools, followed by a move to Fargo, ND, for a career change.  There she was on staff at First Lutheran as parish worker and choir director for five years.  She then moved to Santa Clara CA where she filled a similar position for nine years. Marion loved to travel and was happy to accept a different role with the national ALC as a parish consultant.  For several years she visited parishes all over the U.S. while in that position.  At one point she joined a mission trip to El Salvador.  From 1974 until her retirement she worked in Seattle and Spokane WA as assistant to Lutheran bishops. She was fortunate to combine her hobbies, music and travel, with her life work, making countless friends throughout the U.S.  She went from accompanying her dad on his violin as a teen-ager to playing for large choirs on piano and organ.  First and foremost, faith, family and friends filled Marion's life with joy and meaning. Marion returned to her home community at Kenyon in retirement for several years actively participating in church and community activities. In 2008 she moved to Bismarck Valley View apartments and subsequently to MSLCC, where she considered Good Shepherd her home church. She is survived by two sisters, Rhoda Loutzenhiser of Aurora CO and Judy (Richard) Fevold of Bismarck, two brothers David (Cathy)Voxland, Atlanta GA, and Vern Voxland, Hastings MN.  Several nieces, nephew, grandnieces and nephews also survive. Preceding her in death were her parents, brother-in-law Cal Loutzenhiser and nephew Mark Fevold.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 106 Osage Ave., Bismarck, ND, 58501.