Marlene B. Soltis, 90 year old resident of Little Falls, MN, formerly of Upsala, MN, passed away on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at the Little Falls Care Center. There will be a visitation on Monday, October 30, 2023 from 3 to 7 PM at Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls. Interment will be at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls. Caring for Marlene and her family is the Shelley Funeral Chapel of Little Falls.
Marlene was born December 14, 1932 near St. John, ND to the late Lonnie and Alvira (Etta) Rardon. Marlene graduated from St. John High School in May 1950 and then worked as Deputy County Auditor at the courthouse in Roll, ND. Marlene met Bill in September 1950 in Churches Ferry, ND. Bill was drafted into the Army in July 1951 and when he came back on furlough they were married on November 30 1951 in St. John, ND. Bill was then sent to Japan and upon discharge in 1953, Bill and Marlene then lived on a farm near South Elmdale with their two children, Alan and Beverly, for 3 years and then moved to Minneapolis and then St Paul while Bill learned the stucco and plastering trade. After realizing that city life was not for them, they then moved back to Upsala in 1959 where they raised their children and in later years, enjoyed helping care for their grandchildren. They did a variety of farming including raising pigs and had many different horses. Marlene worked at the bank in Upsala until her retirement in 1994. Marlene also helped Bill run their stucco business doing the accounting and a variety of other business-related tasks. They were a wonderful exemplary team. Marlene was best known for being a wonderful cook. She made all of Bill’s packed lunches from scratch, including Albany bakery bread, homemade strawberry jam and prune kolaches! To this day, her beef stew, homemade chicken soup, nut tea ring and prune kolaches are beloved family favorites. She loved to make the holidays special and would set a beautiful table and make all the Soltis family traditional holiday foods. She also enjoyed going out to eat at different places.
Bill and Marlene attended the South Elmdale Congregational Church for many years where Marlene was also active in the ladies’ aide and later Community Covenant Church in Upsala. Marlene loved to read a variety of books, but especially her bible and devotionals. She did a lot of canning and gardening to supplement her excellent cooking. She did many needlepoint pictures over the years. She and Bill loved to attend auctions and collected many antiques together, especially oil lamps and depression glass dishes. Oftentimes Bill and Marlene could be seen riding around town in their horse-drawn buggies and in the wintertime their horse-drawn bobsled. They were in a big variety of small-town parades. Marlene had a special love for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were all a very integral part of her life and they all brought her such great joy and pride. Family was always first and above all things. Her spirit, love and compassion will all be deeply missed, leaving a lasting void in the hearts of her family, but her legacy will carry on forever.
Left to treasure her memory are her daughter, Beverly (Jeff) Edelstein; daughter-in-law, Theresa (Sherman) Phillips; granddaughters, Victoria (John) Walsh, Erica (Nathan) Groleau, Bryce (Randell) Long; grandsons, Benjamin Bick, William Soltis, Raymond Soltis; great-grandchildren, John D. Walsh, Madison Walsh, Ava Dalbec, Natasha Groleau, Randell Long III and Beau Long; sisters, Janice (John) Hvidsten and Aretta Hendrickson.
Marlene was preceded in death by her parents, husband, William Soltis; son, Alan Soltis; sister, Stella Johnson, and four infant siblings.
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