Marna J. Ekart

Marna J. Ekart, 86, of Bismarck, died on August 13, 2019, at a Bismarck Hospital.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 am Tuesday, August 20, at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, 519 Raymond St., Bismarck.

Visitation will be from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Monday, August 19, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a rosary/vigil will begin at 7:00 pm.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 pm Tuesday at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Marna was born on April 5, 1933, at McPherson, Kansas, the daughter of Paul R. Murray and Katherine Wogelmuth. She attended schools in Junction City and Manhattan, Kansas. She graduated from Manhattan High School in 1951. She was married on August 25, 1956, at Manhattan, to Sylvester C. “Sy” Ekart. Marna worked for the Kansas State University Milling Department while her husband attended the university. She and her family lived in Kansas and Pennsylvania before moving to Bismarck in 1974. Marna enjoyed reading, sewing, and walking at the mall with her friends.

Marna is the mother of four children, two sons and two daughters: daughter, Tanya Ekart and granddaughter, Taylor Ekart of Bismarck; daughter, Sharon Gingell (Don) of Savage, MN, and grandson, Ryan Gingell and granddaughter, Katie Gingell; son, Brian Ekart and grandson, Andrew Ekart and granddaughter, Emily Ekart of New Brighton, Minnesota; son, James Ekart (Jeanne) of Bismarck, granddaughter, Kelly Trius (Edward Henderson), great-granddaughters, Inna and Leonora Trius and great-grandson, Saul Trius of Minneapolis; granddaughter, Kayla Ekart of Bismarck; grandson, Kristopher Ekart (Becky Mehlhoff) and great-granddaughter, Isabella Ekart of Bismarck and granddaughter, Kimberly Ekart (Scott Mosbrucker) of Bismarck. She is also survived by a brother, Michael Murray (Carla) of Independence, Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother; and two step-sisters, Dorothy Fretz and Betty Dowling.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Central Dakota Children’s Choir, Bismarck.