Marlys L. Dolezal, 90, Dickinson, died Friday, April 9, 2021 at her home. Marlys’s funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 16, 2021 at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson with Pastor Dorothy Stein as officiant. Interment will take place at Oakdale Cemetery, Killdeer. Visitation will be on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ladbury Funeral Service with a prayer service and a time of sharing at 7 p.m.
Marlys Knutson was born in New Salem on August 12, 1930 to Cornelius A. and Inger Anderson Knutson. She grew up in Almont and graduated from Almont High School in 1948. She attended Dickinson State Teachers College where she met her future husband Richard. They were married in Almont on July 9, 1950.
She taught school for several years before moving to Duluth, MN for Richard’s service in the Air Force during the Korean War. Their oldest son Paul was born in Duluth.
They returned to Killdeer and the family farm after the service years where they raised their family of five sons and one daughter.
Marlys was active in the church, community and school activities, usually in the area of music. She spent 50 years as a church organist in Killdeer and Dickinson and many years as a piano teacher. Organizations included Chapter B P.E.O., Sons of Norway, Thimble Club and St. Cecelia Music Club.
She did an extensive amount of traveling over the years, including trips to Norway with her brothers and sister and many trips in the US and around the world with her daughter Pam in a travel group. She also traveled to England with her cousin Donna Johnson and in her later years to Australia and New Zealand with friend Toody Haugen from Killdeer.
She was proud of her Norwegian heritage and made sure her children knew of the foods and holiday customs of the Scandinavians and also of their father’s Czech ancestry.
Rich and Marlys moved to Dickinson in 1989. She spent her retired years playing piano for music programs and sing-a-longs at local nursing homes. She continued this volunteer work in the community until several years ago when she scaled back to entertaining occasionally at Edgewood Hawks Point where she resided.
Marlys and Rich were most proud of their children and grandchildren which they lovingly referred to as the Dolezal Village.
She is survived by her children, Paul (Judy), Fort Bridger, WY, Bruce (Lisa), Dickinson, Pam, Spring Creek, NV, Mike (Laura), Chester, ID, John (Cheryl), Killdeer, and James (Kim), Mountain View, WY.; 16 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Dale (Shirley), Killdeer; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, C.A. and Inger Knutson; her husband Richard; an infant son; a great-granddaughter; and all of her siblings, Myron, Howard, Vernon, Lillian, Carol, Dorothy and their spouses.
Memorials may be made to the DSU Heritage Foundation where the Marlys Dolezal Music Scholarship has been established.
The Dolezal family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to Edgewood Hawks Point staff for their loving care to Marlys.
