November 9, 1926-November 11,2022
Marlys Aamot Kohlhase grew up on a farm in in central North Dakota in a place called Makoti. She was taught the skills that hard work was good. She graduated from Concordia college of Moorehead and then taught home economics at the Sauk Center school for girls. She eventually moved to Marshall county where she taught in the Warren public school system. It was there that she met a tall fellow who worked at the County court house. They eventually married and raised a family of 5 in a new housing development that overlooks the Warren public schools. I got to know this woman when I fell madly in love with their daughte, Linda. Marlys never forgot a birthday and like clock work each of us could expect a birthday card in the mail box.
Marlys understood suffering for when she was little she watched her parents bury a younger sibling. Later on, she was at her husband's side as he battled Multple Myloma cancer. Marlys always welcomed her adult children home, but understood that there woud be a point where she would have to bid farewell as they got back into their cars to return to their home.
Marlys was a woman of faith who believed in the importance of worshipping her Lord and Savior each Sunday. She believed in Christian education when she served many years as the Sunday school superintendent.
Marlys had a sister named Marian whom she was close to throughout their life. Linda and I had the privilege of spending many special occasions with Marian and Fred, along with Marlys and Art whenever they drove 6 hours to the Twin Cities. I will always remember Marian's raspberry patch along with her annual call to my wife to let her know that the raspberries are ripe for picking. I developed a love for raspberries because of Marian's raspberry patch. Marian stopped growing those raspberries when her memory got steadily worse because of alzheimers. Fred never saw Marian in that state for he died after a short battle of cancer. After his death, Linda and I would take our kids to the memory care home she was at.
Marlys had a granddaughter who's name was Maria who died when the medication she was on failed to metabolize in her system. Marlys supported our family with hugs and cards. She learned from her own suffering when she was young that the one way to heal is to be a helper of others.
It seems tha most of us do not realize what we lost until the person is gone. I know this is true for me. It is easy for us to have regrets and do over moments we wish we had, but life is never lived in a vacuum and the best we can do is be kind to ourselves after we lose someone we loved deeply. All told, the pain we feel after the loss that never seems to subside is reflected on the love we had for the one who died. You're going to hurt so go ahead and cry. For me, I learned that when grief comes into my life the best thing I can do is find a 13 week grief share group where I can meet with like minded people like me who struggle with what to do with this pain.
My Christian faith which began when I accepted Jesus Christ at 18 has taught me that it is never the end when a person dies. It is merely the beginning of a new life in a brand new body in the place called heaven. Marlys is more alive in this new place than she was in her waning days on earth.
Marlys, we are sadden to no longer be able to have earthly conversations with you, but we look forward to the day when our mission on planet earth is finished when we will be able to see you again.
As Maria's dad, I ask that you give Maria a hug as you go through Heaven's reception line.
