Funeral Notice: Helen Theresa Marxen
Helen T. Marxen, age 97, of Bird Island, died on Friday, October 16, 2026 at Mayo Hospital, Cannon Falls, MN. A Catholic Mass of burial will begin at 11am on Thursday, October 22nd, with visitation starting at 10am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Jordan, MN. Private interment will follow at St. John’s Calvary Cemetery. She was born November 6, 1928 at Redwood Falls, MN to Frank and Mary (Linsmeier) Plass, immigrants from Germany. As a young girl, the family moved to a farm near Bird Island, MN, where she grew up with three sisters and one brother.
On November 4, 1950, she married the love of her life, Hillard Marxen, and they moved to a farm not far from the Plass family homestead. She dedicated her life to being a wonderful mother of six children. Helen was a hard-working, warm-hearted person who had an appreciation for the simple moments in life. She found joy from tending a large garden and raspberry patch (even turning her front lawn into a garden when she eventually moved to town!). A scoop of ice-cream topped with raspberries was a favorite treat to share. She was an incredibly resourceful person and nothing went to waste. In addition to the farm and raising her children, she had seasonal work growing cucumbers for Gedney’s and with the Green Giant Company. In her later years she was employed at the Renville Sugar Beet Plant until she was almost eighty years old.
Her hobbies included cross-stitch, puzzles, playing cards (buck euchre), reading health books, trying new healthy recipes, crafts, and sending holiday cards with hand-written jokes. She also enjoyed a car ride in the countryside. Helen was a faithful member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bird Island and it was meaningful to her to say the rosary every evening. Helen moved to Northfield, MN, to live with her daughter for the past five years. She lived a life of simplicity and humility; her quiet, smiling face and graciousness will be missed.
Helen is survived by her children: Linda Dingels, Barb (Andy) Valdmanis, Paul (Teresa) Marxen, Ann (Chris) Aanestad and Pete Marxen; sister Loretta Tersteeg; twelve grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Hillard; son and daughter-in-law Michael & Madelyn Marxen; son-in-law Gene Dingels; brother George Plass; sisters Agnes Groth and Ann Witcraft; brothers-in-law Don Tersteeg, Sr., Al Groth, Earl Witcraft; sister-in-law Theresa Plass.