Marie A. (Kerfeld) Eiynck, 94, St. Cloud

May 9, 1924 - December 14, 2018

Marie A. (Kerfeld) Eiynck, 94, a woman of strength, dignity, and laughter has passed away on Friday, December 14, 2018 surrounded by family.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday December 19th at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Seven Dolors, 151 - 2nd Street South, Albany, MN. Visitation at 9:00 to time of service. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Funeral arrangements were made by Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN.

Marie was born May 9, 1924 on the home farm in Freeport, MN. to Henry and Anna Kerfeld.

She attended a one room school house and completed 8th grade. She desperately wanted to attend Melrose High School, but was denied due to lack of transportation. Hard work was just a given from helping on the farm, bringing a lantern out to the chicken coop at 4:30 a.m., cutting fire wood, milking cows, and helping her married sister with child care and housework. At age 17 she worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Brainerd and at age 20 went to Duluth to work in the Operating Room at St. Mary’s Hospital. She met her first and only love of her life Lawrence Eiynck at her sister Olivia’s wedding and was married May 29, 1945.

Employment after her marriage included: St. Ben’s Monastery, St. Joe, (laundry); Brown and Bigelow, St. Cloud, (putting rivets on cigarette lighters); Finger Hut, St. Cloud, (sewing patterns); Mother of Mercy Nursing Home, Albany, (nursing assistant); and starting up their own business, Eiynck Plumbing and Heating. To make ends meet while starting up the business, Marie took in laundry in her home for students at St. John’s University. In her spare time she was sewing clothes for her children, baking pies, cookies, and maintaining a home of excellence. She was not idle.

Due to a devastating fall in 2008 she was no longer able to stay in her home and became a resident of St. Benedict Senior Community. She was very active as a member of the resident council, attended daily mass, participated in baking, art projects, and enjoyed playing Bingo.

Volunteering and service to others was very important to Marie. She was a member of Christians Mothers, Little Flower Mission Group, St. Ann’s Society, Church of Seven Dolors Quilters, Funeral Lady, Mother Seeton Store, and of course the Albany Bazaar (she liked the country store).

She is survived by her children: Jim (Louise), Colleen (Gary) Layne, Sharon (Joe) Stellmach, Sandy (Jeff) Janssen, and son in law Kevin(Casey)(Anne) Marrin. She has eleven grandchildren Matthew Marrin, Annie (Ted Hansen) Marrin, Ericka (Mike) Goebel, Phillip (Sarah) Layne, Jonathan (Vanessa) Layne, Kelsi (Jeff) Plattner, Kate (Michael Freiert), David (Erin) Stellmach, Eric, Karen, and Rachel Janssen. Eleven great- grandchildren: Landen, Alexis, Layton Goebel, Mason, Jayden Layne, Eliana, Dominic Stellmach, Josephine Freiert, Ruby, Kellen Plattner, and Theodore Layne. Siblings: sister Rita Niehaus.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Lawrence, children Carol Marrin and stillborn twin daughters, siblings: Adella Blommel, Lawrence, Hubert, Raymond Kerfeld, Eleanore Herzog, and Olivia Eiynck Kimlinger.

Memorials preferred to Church of Seven Dolors, (remember the quilters) and St. Benedict Senior Community, (the bingo and activities department).

A Special Thank You to all the team members at St. Benedict Senior Community, and St. Croix Hospice, for all the loving care and support given to Marie and family.