Senior Focus on ... Marion Ask

Marion turned 80 years old in November of 2017, and her “boys” made it a special day for her. She says she's had a good life, and has many fond memories of her life together with husband Sanley Ask. 

Marion Ask moved from Gonvick to Bagley after her husband Stanley passed away a year ago. 

“Since moving back here I enjoy seeing all the people I used to know. It was like 'coming home,'” she says, “Now I go to the church where I used to, and where I was married, at Faith Lutheran Church.” 

Born in Berner, north of Gonvick on Nov. 9, 1937, to parents Benny and Mabel (Bjerknes) Sand, Marion spent her early years there before moving to Bagley and attending school. 

“I can remember my dad, who worked for the county, cutting grass along the highways with a team of horses. Sometimes the family would go to meet him at lunchtime.” 

Marion had one older brother Russel. “He was 15 when I was born, so it was like growing up as an only child.” 

 She played the clarinet in the school marching band at ball games and parades, and she says that was a lot of fun. Marion graduated from Bagley High School in 1955. The same year, she married Stanley Ask, from Gonvick. They had three sons, Mike, Steve, and Danny. 

They lived in Anoka, Minn. for 14 years, where Stanley worked construction doing well drilling. 

Marion explains, “I came home to stay with my folks for the birth of our first two sons. My mother helped with the births, and to care for them the first several weeks. Our last son was born in Anoka.”

“I didn't work out of the home until all the boys were in school. Then I worked part-time, doing filing for a business in St. Louis Park. There was lots of traffic but I drove myself to work!” 

They moved back to Stanley's family homestead near Gonvick in 1970. All the boys graduated from the old Gonvick School. 

“When I was home raising my three boys, there was a program on that I used to watch called 'The Love Boat'. They look like they were having a lot of fun,” Marion reminisces. 

“I thought that if there was anything I wanted to do if I had the opportunity if Stan wasn't here, I'd like to do this, go on the Love Boat some day – just to have a little fun in my life!” 

“Moving to the farm and being a farm wife was challenging for me, since I was a city girl!” (That is from the big city of Bagley!) “I cooked, baked, canned, had a garden, and mowed the grass, which took four hours with a push mower. I figured it was good exercise for me.” 

When Stanley retired, he took over the mowing, and decided walking behind a mower wasn't for him – and got a rider to do the job! 

“I enjoyed doing ceramics and quilting. I made lots of mission quilts for the Church.” 

“Also I enjoyed going square-dancing with Stanley, we both enjoyed that. I made all of my dresses and matching shirts for Stanley.”

“In summer we went to a place we had at Upper Red Lake where we would fish and play cards.”

“We did some traveling, too, and went on a couple of cruises. One to the Caribbean, and our boys, along with grandson Ryan, took us on a cruise to Alaska on our 50th Anniversary in 2005.”

Marion proudly displays many of her quilting handiworks at her apartment. Now days, Marion stays busy sewing, making quilts, wheelchair covers with pockets, and microwave hot pads, for “No more burnt fingers”. They make nice gifts, and she has them available for those wishing a unique item. 

She spends time playing cards with her old friends in Gonvick, too. What kind? “Any kind!” Marion proclaims with enthusiasm.

Mike now lives in Arizona and is retired from the sheet metal industry.

Steve lives in Apple Valley and is semi-retired. He is a CPA doing taxes during the tax season.

Danny works on construction at Big Lake. He is dad to Marion's one grandson, Ryan. 

Marion says the best thing you can do is, “Enjoy Life. I try to make the most of today. We never get another chance to live it.  Life is what you make it.”

 

Marion's Lefse Recipe

4 cups Mashed Potatoes, riced 

1/4 cup Half & Half 

1/4 cup Butter 

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Sugar 

Mix ingredients together while warm. When cool, roll out 2 cups potatoes and 1/2 cup flour. 

Then measure 1/3 cup of the mixture to roll out lefse. Bake on a lefse grill or an old wood stove. 

This recipe makes 15.