Marion Engle

Marion Louise (Nemitz) Engle, age 86, of Glendive, Montana passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2014 at the Glendive Medical Center Extended Care in Glendive. A Life Tribute service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 in the Chapel of the Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home in Glendive with Celebrant Sandy Silha officiating. Interment will be in the Dawson Memorial Cemetery in Glendive. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements. Marion was born on February 6, 1928 in Glendive, a daughter of Martin and Jessie (Bacon) Nemitz. She was raised and educated in Glendive where she attended Dawson County High School. Following high school Marion met and later married Jesse Engle on September 15, 1947 in Glendive, and to this union five children were born. Marion was a wonderful wife and mother and she kept very busy with all of the work that is involved with being a rancher's wife. Marion was very talented, she loved to draw and always enjoyed making different crafts. She loved gardening and took great pride in how beautiful her garden was each year. She especially enjoyed playing cards with her family and friends or playing board games with her grandchildren. Marion cherished the time she spent with her family and was always involved with all of their activities. Marion was a member of the Moose, Homemakers Club and a couple different bowling leagues. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jesse; one brother, Marvin "Sonny" Nemitz and one son-in-law, Dennis Pederson. Survivors include her children, Gary Engle of Glendive, Linda (Russell) Schwartz of Terry, Montana, Stella Pederson of Glendive, Bonnie Engle (Rich) of Glendive and Cody (Jennifer) Engle of Fairbanks, Alaska; nine grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; one sister, Ginger (Nick) Burman of Glendive; two brothers, Kenny (Lillian) Nemitz of Glendive and Howard (Karen) Nemitz of Lynnwood, Washington and numerous nieces and nephews. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silvernale-silhafuneralhome.com. Marion Louise (Nemitz) Engle. What a special lady Marion was. Easygoing, kindhearted and giving, hardworking, with a strong, stubborn, never give up attitude, Marion left many smiles in the hearts and on the lips of her family and friends. She was the ultimate homemaker, farm and ranch wife, and, even more importantly, the ultimate mother and grandmother. Grandson Thad calls her the “glue” that held her large family together. In her 86 years of living, Marion never lived anywhere other than in an area covering about ten miles. Her growing up years were spent on her parents ranch south of Glendive. New neighbors moved in nearby in the 1940’s, and when their son, Jesse Engle, came back from serving in the Marines, Marion met and eventually married Jesse. They settled on the ranch and raised their five children there. In 1982, Jesse and Marion moved into Glendive. Daughter Bonnie says her mother was glad for the move, probably because she wouldn’t have to work so hard. Marion wasn’t much for sharing stories about her growing up years; she was a woman who seemed to live in the moment. Her family did run across some old scrapbooks that Marion had kept from her teen years, filled with movies stars from that era. They wondered if their mother had once dreamed of leaving the ranch for more glamorous places, but Marion never let on if that was the case. After marriage, Marion settled in as a wife and helpmate to her husband Jesse. Family was most important to her, and having them around was her favorite way to enjoy life. After being married for 60 plus years, it’s hard to speak of Marion and not mention Jesse. They were two strong personalities who together lived, loved, raised a large family, worked and played, argued and fought, and who enjoyed similar interests and each other. They were life partners in everything. Marion and Jesse had five children, Gary, Linda, Stella, Bonnie, and Cody. The first four were close in age; in fact, Marion had four teenagers in the house when Cody was born. Cody once told his mother that he didn’t have brothers and sisters, just more moms and dads. It is viewed unanimously by the family that Cody was the favorite. But it was Gary that Marion mothered throughout life. Marion was always the go to person in the family, for her kids, and later for the grandchildren. Jesse was a bit gruff, and Marion was just calmer and easier. Granddaughter Angie says her grandmother believed her family could do no wrong, and well, if they did, no one could know. Marion always stuck up for her family, right, wrong, or indifferent. She was very proud of them all, collecting any newspaper articles their name appeared in and saving them. So far, no one has run across clippings of the courthouse blotter, but they are pretty sure Marion read those too. Marion loved to talk, and she was pretty good at arguing too; just ask her son-in-law, Russell. Jesse and Marion were Democrats, and Russell a Republican. There were some pretty lively discussions in that area alone. Marion and Jesse worked hard on the ranch. When Jesse would be out trucking, Marion would be the one who rounded up the cows so Jesse could feed them when he got home. Over the years, Marion and Jesse shared many interests. They would hunt agates along the river that bordered the ranch, cutting and polishing the agates and making jewelry and lamps with them. They bowled in a couples’ league, and Marion was really an avid bowler, bowling in women’s leagues for many years, and she carried a high average. She and Jesse played cards with family and friends. Marion was very competitive and it came out during the many whist games. Many week-ends were spent camping and fishing. Great-granddaughter Justice observed that grandma said she didn’t like fishing, so Justice figures that she just enjoyed spending time with grandpa. Marion and Jesse belong to the Good Sam Club and spent time on the road RV-ing. With Cody, Jen and their family in Alaska, that was a common destination. They also went to Marine Corps re-unions, and traveled other times with friends in the club. Bumper stickers accumulated quickly. Marion and Jesse collected coins, both were avid readers, and they would pick up large chests at garage sales to refurbish. Jesse would refinish and rebuild the wood, while Marion would re-line the interiors with fabric. These chests would be given to family members. Marion was an amazing cook and loved to bake. Everyone in the family has food memories. Grandson Conrad loved coming to Glendive to visit his grandparents, because Grandma always had a big spread for lunch, and granddaughter Rusty and others rave about Marion’s bran muffins. Marion was a scratch cook, making three meals a day. Everyone had their place at the table, and their portions of the food. Meals came in courses, soups or salad, meat and potatoes, dessert…and Marion is to blame for the fact that they all love dessert! When grandson Waco was single and on his own, he spent two and a half years eating lunch at his grandmothers. Not only was the food free, it was good. Marion was a gardener of both vegetables and flowers. The vegetables helped put food on the table, but she was very proud of her beautiful flowers, and her back yard. She and Jesse enjoyed hosting back yard bar-b-ques on a regular basis…in fact they enjoyed having guests over to eat all the time. Christmas was always at Marion’s. Along with the good food, Santa would show up and everyone would sit on his lap for a gift and pictures. Marion kept track of everyone’s birthdays, and special occasions. She loved to bake and decorate cakes and had a multitude of cake pans to do just that. Because she was an avid crafter, many of her gifts were homemade. She once took a class in drawing and each family received a pen and ink drawing as a gift. An accomplished seamstress, Skeeter tells that each grandchild received a blanket made by Marion. Justice holds special the agate cross her grandmother made for her. Marion was a talented woman and she kept her hands busy. Marion collected birdhouses. One year she requested that each family member make her a birdhouse for Christmas. Bonnie remembers that her mother must have been a bit disappointed when she didn’t get very many. Her family wasn’t as crafty as their mom. Marion also collected flamingos, the big pink plastic ones and she would put them out in her yard with her flowers. For several years her Christmas trees had a flamingo theme. Marion had quite a sense of adventure. Once, helicopters were doing some flying over the ranch and landing to check on some things. Marion decided that she wanted a ride and she got one. She loved flying. When she was in Washington state one time, there was a gathering of hot air balloons and she wanted to get a ride then too. But she couldn’t talk anyone into going with her, and the wind came up, so the balloons were grounded. She probably would have tried other adventures if she could have found someone to go with her. In her later years, Marion would fly to Alaska to see Cody and family, and her daughters would go along. But Marion didn’t like sitting with them on the long flight, because Bonnie and Stella would sleep and Marion wanted to visit. There were a couple of fears that Marion had. One was the river and one was the railroad that ran through the ranch. She worried that either could harm her family. They did lose cattle to them and so Marion was always a bit fearful. Marion loved to talk and particularly on the phone. You were never far away from her for that reason. If you wanted to know what was going on with anyone in the family, just ask Marion, she would know. She kept diaries and journals, writing notes every day even if it was only about the weather or the price of things, or where she and Jesse were in their travels. She walked before walking was popular. When she and Jesse moved to town, she tried to walk everywhere. This was good because she would need all her strength to deal with her biggest struggle in life, diabetes. Marion got diabetes when she was in her forties and she got it bad. Stella feels it controlled her life. Marion made a number of ambulance runs because of the disease over the years. It was her strong, stubborn, never give up attitude that carried her through those years with diabetes. Signature traits that Marion had included long, beautiful fingernails. Marion most often had them polished with red and Jesse liked her to wear red lipstick, which she always did. Another signature trait that Marion wore often and was lovely to behold was her smile. Even the nurses at the home commented on her smile and how she always had one available at a moments notice. Marion enjoyed life and the people in her life, and she wore that enjoyment on her face and in her smile and laughter. Over the years, Marion’s family grew to include grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Each knew and had a special relationship with their grandmother. She spoiled them; she was a safe and trusted person to be with; they loved her special toys, stuffed animals, and treats; they loved visiting the ranch, and having family gatherings. She was so proud of all of her family. When Grandson Thad would visit Marion at the Heritage, he would go in the back side door because it was right by her room. She finally requested that he come in the front. Marion wanted everyone to see her grandson and ask her about him so she could brag. Grandddaughters Rusty and Skeeter would get into arguments that sometimes escalated into fights over whose grandmother Marion was. Devotion to Marion is fierce. Each person in the family had special times with Marion. Those times are now special memories. And that was the most wonderful gift that Marion could give her family. Marion was more than a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother to her family, she was a friend, a mentor, and the one who always had time and interest in each family member. She just wanted everyone to get along and enjoy each other. Marion was a rock. Marion’s love, caring, friendship and support has sustained her family for many years; Marion is greatly loved and she will be greatly missed.

Marion Engle

February 6, 1928 - February 12, 2014

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

Marion Engle

February 6, 1928 - February 12, 2014

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

365 Days of Grief Support