Art Marklund, 90, beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, of Littlefork MN, died Tuesday, April 24 2012, at the Littlefork Care Center.
Art was born March 3, 1922, on the family homestead farm in Lindford Township west of Littlefork to Hjalmar and Helen Marklund.
Art attended the Lindford school with his two sisters Mildred and Vina, and then graduated from Littlefork High School in 1940. He was active in 4-H, sports, and church.
Art enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942, and after serving in North Africa and Italy he was honorably discharged in 1945.
In May of 1946 he married Mildred Gabrielson who was a nurse at the Littlefork hospital. They were married for 61 years until her death in 2007. They lived, worked, and raised their family in the Littlefork area.
Art was a carpenter and bricklayer for about 45 years with his father Hjalmar Marklund, and his uncle Helge Jonson, in the Littlefork area where they built and worked on a huge number of the homes and some farms in the area. Over the years they had been carpentering as far west as Birchdale and Baudette, as far east as International Falls, Lake Kabetogama and Black Bay where they built many cabins, and as far south as Hill City.
Art was a member of the Littlefork-Big Falls School Goard in the 1960’s, board chairman of Deeper Life Bible Camp, a member of the American Legion for more than 60 years, a member of the Lindford Free Church in his youth, and then an active member in the Littlefork Free Church for many years.
The Marklund farm in Lindford was a very active place where Art and Millie raised five boys and one daughter that were involved in all sorts of activities, school sports and clubs, in addition to helping out on the farm. Art and Millie felt the farm was a good place to raise kids, cattle, and crops.
After their retirement Art and Millie spent many winters with family and friends in Arizona, California, and Colorado, as well as visiting with many friends and relatives along the way. They talked a lot about their special ferry boat trip to Alaska and driving back on the AlCan highway.
Art has been a resident of the Littlefork Care Center since 2007.
He was preceded in death by his parents Hjalmar and Helen (Johnson) Marklund; his two sisters Mildred and Vina; Millie, his wife of 61 years; a son Robert; and an infant daughter who died shortly after her birth.
He is survived by sons Rodney (Linda) of Plymouth MN, Richard (Ann) of Panama City, Panama, Russell (Georgia Kay) of Littlefork, Rodger (Sandy) of Phoenix AZ; and daughter Mary (Dennis) Holsman of Hill City MN; 12 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
A viewing for family and friends will be at Green-Larsen Mortuary in International Falls from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday evening, May 1, 2012, with the funeral at the Littlefork Free Church on at 10 a.m. Wednesday May 2.
The family suggests any honorariums be made to the Littlefork-Big Falls High School Industrial Arts Department in honor of Art Marklund, who worked with tools building things his entire life.
Condolences can be left at www.greenlarsen.com.
Arrangements are with Green-Larsen Mortuary, Inc.
