Marian Gustafson

A memorial service for Marian Gustafson will be held Friday, July 11, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Colton, SD, with Pastor Susan Jennys officiating. Burial will take place prior to the service at 11:00 a.m. at the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Sioux Falls, SD. Visitation with family present will be Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 5-7:00 p.m. at the Minnehaha Funeral Home in Dell Rapids SD. Marian Adele (Bishop) Gustafson was born near Hurley, SD, on April 21, 1932, the daughter of Fred and Lois (Powers) Bishop. She grew up on the family farms in the Davis and Hurley area, attending school in the Reiman and Hurley School Districts. The family included brothers Ranald and Kenton and her sister Phyllis.

Marian graduated from Hurley High School in May 1950. That fall she enrolled at South Dakota State College. She graduated with a Home Economics degree in 1954. Her first teaching job was as a home economics teacher at Hudson, SD, High School for one year.

While in college, she met Marvin Gustafson, a farm boy from Dallas, SD, who was also attending college in Brookings, majoring in agriculture and enrolled in Air Force ROTC.

Marian married Marvin in Hurley, SD, on July 25, 1955. They lived in Sault Ste Marie, MI, for two years while Marvin served in the Air Force at a radar base. Upon Marvin receiving his honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1957, the couple moved to Dallas to farm with Marvin’s father Carl. Besides raising row crops and hay, they also raised cattle and hogs. Marian taught home economics at Gregory High School for four years before they started their family. During their time at Dallas, Marvin also was a rural mail carrier for over 35 years.

Marian was always busy as a farm wife and mother. She helped with the livestock, including the chickens, always tended a good sized garden, was a master at canning vegetables, and was a wonderful baker and cook. She was also a very good seamstress, creating clothes for the family along with tackling the less glamorous chore of mending. Marian served as a 4-H club leader and Achievement Days judge, was a lifetime member of the United Methodist Church, Rural Letter Carriers’ Auxiliary, Gideon’s Auxiliary, and was a 50 year member of the Order of Eastern Star.

Marvin and Marian had their retirement auction in June 2008 and moved to Colton, SD, to be closer to family, leaving the farm after nearly 52 years.

Marian Gustafson, age 93, died peacefully in hospice care at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD, on Friday July 4, 2025. She is survived by her two children, John (Anna) Gustafson of Sioux Falls, SD, and Lois (Matt) Vogel of Colton, SD; six grandchildren: Daniel Gustafson, Chelsea (Matt) Sorensen, Christina (Eric) Ardis, Catherine Vogel, Jacob Vogel, and Elizabeth Vogel; two great grandchildren; and several special bonus grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Kenton Bishop of Huntsville, AL, her sisters-in-law Gladys (Lantz) of Omaha, NE, and Irene (Studenberg) of Eugene, OR, and many nieces and nephews.

Marian was preceded in death by her husband of over 67 years, Marvin, her parents Fred and Lois Bishop, brother Ranald Bishop, sister Phyllis Jensen, brothers-in-law Bob Studenberg, Harvey Lantz, and Richard Jensen, and two sisters-in-law, both named Jean Bishop.

Memorials may be directed to the Colton United Methodist Church.