Marie M. Koffler, 92, formerly of Dickinson passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 19, 2020 at Sanford Hospice House, Fargo, surrounded by her family. There will be a private family Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, April 24, 2020 for Marie at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Fr. Jordan Dosch as celebrant. Interment will follow at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan with Msgr. Patrick Schumacher presiding.
Marie M. Hamann was born on October 10, 1927 to Fred and Rose (Steckler) Hamann in Almont. She was the oldest daughter in a family of 15 children. Growing up, her family lived in Almont, Richardton, Gladstone, and Taylor. She graduated from Taylor High School in 1945, and at the age of 17 joined the US Cadet Nurse Corps, studying at St. Alexius Hospital School of Nursing in Bismarck. She loved nursing, and had dreams of working in the medical field, but instead, a young man caught her eye and she returned home to start a family. She was married to Frank Koffler, on September 20, 1946 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richardton.
In the early years of their marriage they moved from town to town following Frank’s job on the railroad, spending most of their time in Medora, and Forsyth, Mont. In 1947, they returned to Taylor and began farming the land that Frank’s dad had homesteaded. Marie worked hard inside and out, and through the years, they raised turkeys, geese, chickens, sheep, cattle, and an assortment of cats and dogs. To make ends meet she sold eggs and cream, milked cows, made butter, butchered and sold chickens, and raised a huge garden; all part of daily life on the farm. Their lives changed in 1959 when they adopted their beautiful baby girl, Cheryl. Both Frank and Marie adored their daughter and cherished every day they shared together.
In 1968 she started what turned out to be a 49-year career as an Avon Representative, putting on many miles on the country roads around Taylor, Gladstone and Richardton. She earned many awards during her years of working with Avon, and enjoyed all the people she met and the visiting! She considered many of her customers to be close friends. In that same year, Frank ran for the ND House of Representatives, and Marie acted as his campaign manager and strongest supporter, going door-to-door to greet people and discuss his campaign. Marie and Frank attended St. Peter’s Church in Taylor and she was very active in the Christian Mothers.
In 1982, they moved to Dickinson, and she continued with her Avon sales, and did volunteer work at St. Wenceslaus Church, Evergreen, and St. Benedict’s in Dickinson. On Sunday afternoons, Marie and Frank loved to go to St. Benedict’s and spend their time dancing with the residents. Marie had a passion for gardening and spent countless hours in her vegetable gardens and working in the flower beds surrounding her home into her late 80s. She retired from Avon in 2017, just before her 90th birthday. October of 2017 was a big month – she added a special granddaughter-in-law to the family, celebrated her 90th birthday in Dickinson, and moved to Fargo to be closer to her family. She enjoyed many hobbies including crocheting, knitting, quilting, reading, gardening, telling stories, and having coffee and lunch dates with her lifelong friends. She also enjoyed the many trips she was able to take with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, including trips to London, the Boston area, Oregon, Washington, Montana, South Dakota, Winnipeg, and South Carolina and cherished those times together.
Marie is survived by her daughter, Cheryl (Terry) Johnson, West Fargo; granddaughter, Chelsey Klinger, Charleston, S.C.; grandson, Elliott Klinger (Hansol Lee), Dallas, Texas; brothers and sisters, Jeanette (Ron) Anderson, Portland, Ore., Melvin (Patty) Hamann, Oregon City, Ore., Dorothy (Bill) Bruce, Milan, Tenn., Patty (Vic) Focht, Beaverton, Ore., Gene (Linda) Hamann, Portland, and Shirley (Frank) Kelly, Billings, Mont.; and sisters-in-law, Lillian Hamann, Dickinson, Eugenia Hamann, Auburn, Neb. and Gloria Hunt, Woodburn, Ore. Marie was preceded in death by her husband, Frank J. Koffler; her parents; brothers, Rudy (Anna), Ed, Pat (Laura), Bud, Clarence and Christopher; and sisters, infant Cathleen and Rosie (Val) Steiner.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the ND Veteran’s Cemetery, 1825 46th Street, Mandan, ND 58554 would be appreciated.
