Marilyn Kay Wertz Engstrom, age 79, left her earthly family, who were by her side at her home on August 18, 2024 to be reunited with daughters Marny and Amy and heavenly father.

Marilyn was born in Cedar Rapids, IA on October 26, 1944. She moved from Iowa in 1957 to Hopkins, MN. She graduated from Hopkins high school in 1962. After graduation, she worked for Northwestern Bell telephone company in Minneapolis. She met her future husband Arne Engstrom in 1963 and was married on June 18, 1966 at Elk River Methodist Church. In 1968, Marilyn and Arne spent two years serving as volunteers in the Peace Corps working for the Indian Department of Agriculture. Soon after returning home, she seriously took up her life's ambition of being a wife and mother. She was very good at this and soon had four beautiful daughters. She excelled at these two things.

She is survived by husband Arne Engstrom; daughters Jody (Adam) Hoffmann, Karly (Brent) Sailor; grandchildren Brady and Kelsie Hoffmann, Owen, Rose, Erin and Wyatt Sailor.

She was preceded in death by daughters Amy and Marny, father Bernie, mother Wilma and brother Ron.

Celebration of Life service will be held Wednesday, August 28th at 10:00 a.m. at the Elk River United Methodist Church.

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Published by Elk River Star News on Aug. 21, 2024.