Marian V. Ness

Marian V. Ness, age 87, of Decorah, IA, died Wednesday morning, June 18, 2014 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah, after suffering a severe stroke and while in hospice care. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 23, 2014 at First Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. Chad Huebner and Rev. Melissa Bills officiating. Private Family Inurnment will be held at a later date in Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery in Slater, Iowa. Visitation will be from 3:00-5:00 p.m. Sunday, June 22 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and on Monday after 10:00 A.M., one hour before the service, at the church. Marian Victoria Ness was born on February 1, 1927 to Rev. Jacob and Annie (Johnson) Elving in Minneapolis, MN. Marian had three siblings (spouses): Dwight (Esther) Elving of Seattle, Carl (Gladys, Marjorie) Elving of Minneapolis, and Vivian (Philip) Tideman of Wahkon, Minnesota. She graduated from Minnehaha Academy and from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing Education. Marian married John Melling Ness on June 25, 1949 at Edina Covenant Church in Edina, MN. Their union produced four children: Dorothy, Susan, Paul and Timothy. Marian supported her husband, lovingly taking care of him throughout his life and following him through their ministry as a Lutheran pastor and wife to Virginia, MN, Perth Amboy, NJ, Fort Dodge, IA, Decorah, IA, Slater, IA, and Arlington, IA. Marian had many careers: as a pastor’s wife, as a nursing instructor, as a night nurse at a nursing home, as a school nurse in practice at Ballard Elementary School in Slater, IA and as a Luther College student health services nurse. She was often known as the Plant Lady of Aase Haugen Home in Decorah. She loved planting flowers and sharing them with others at Aase Haugen Home. She loved everything about plants and nature. She was a longtime member of the Town and Country Garden Club and the West Side Study Club. She played the piano and violin and loved music. She was a devoted member of First Lutheran Church in Decorah, IA where she was active in the Lydia Circle. She enjoyed traveling and participating in Elderhostel classes during her retirement. She doted on her grandchildren and later her great-grandchildren. She was known as Grandma Ness to many Luther students whether she was related to them or not. She was preceded in death by her husband John in 1982, her parents Jacob and Annie, and her brother Carl. Marian is survived by her four children: Dorothy (Paul) Gray, Oelwein, IA, Susan (Jeff) Johnson, Decorah, Paul (Lori) Ness, Winona, MN and Timothy (Jayne) Ness, Birmingham, AL; eleven grandchildren: Brian (Julie) Sparks, Lisa (Dan) Shaw, Daniel (John) Johnson, Kirsten (Brad) Paulsrud, Michael (Jenny) Ness, Brian (Rachel) Ness, Caroline Sparks, David Ness, Emily Ness, John Ness and Madeline Ness; five great grandchildren: Tyler Shaw, Abby Shaw, Anika Paulsrud, Lila Paulsrud and Joshua Ness; one brother, Rev. Dwight Elving of Seattle, WA; one sister, Vivian (Philip) Tideman of Wahkon, MN, and by brothers and sisters-in-law Harold (Jean) Ness, Irene Lundquist, and Marjorie Elving. Memorials may be given to First Lutheran Church - Discretionary Pastors' Fund, 604 West Broadway St., Decorah, IA 52101 or Aase Haugen Home, 4 Ohio Street, Decorah, IA 52101.