Marie H. Ecklein, age 95, died at Luther Hospital, Eau Claire, Wisconsin on Tuesday, November 27, 2001. She was born Helen Marie Rogelsted to John Rogelsted and Helena Torkelson Rogelstad on December 7, 1905 in Humboldt, Iowa. As a child, she moved with her family to Wells County, North Dakota. There she grew up with 15 brothers and sisters, of which she was the last surviving member. After attending a rural school, she graduated from Business College which led to various legal, medical and business positions. For nearly 20 of those years she was employed by the International Harvester Company after which she managed a medical eye, ear, nose and throat clinic in Minot, North Dakota.\r\nJoe Parizek and Marie were married in 1927. After Joe died in 1957, and her daughter Gloria moved to Upper Michigan, Marie relocated to the Twin Cities. Living near Metropolitan Stadium she became a Twin's fan, while at the same time holding down a job and keeping up her bowling and golf games together with an active church life. When her son graduated from High School she felt free to enter a new stage of life, moving to Mesa, Arizona. After having been a widow for 16 years, she met Wally Ecklein and they married in June of 1973. Wally died in 1988, after which Marie moved again, this time to be near her family in Eau Claire. \r\nMarie is survived by a son, Larry Parizek; and a daughter, Gloria Thorpe and son-in-law, Gordon. She also had two grandsons, Tod Thorpe and Jon Thorpe with his wife Suzette Peltier and their children, Rennesoy and Signe; a granddaughter, Amy Jo Thorpe Swenson with her husband Rick Swenson, and their children Nathaniel and Anja, all of Eau Claire.\r\nMarie was always a high energy person. For example, while having a responsible position in North Dakota, she owned and managed a gas station. Again, while managing a medical office in Minneapolis, she traveled extensively, to such places as Hawaii, Germany and Norway. She and her husband Wally were founding members of Victory Lutheran Church in Mesa, Arizona where she later became the regular guest book person. Until very recently, while visiting family, her hands were still keeping crochet hooks flying. \r\nFuneral services will be held at Grace Lutheran Church of Eau Claire, Wisconsin at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, November 29, 2001. The service will be preceded by a time of visitation at the church beginning at 3:00 p.m. Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral Home is serving the family. Interment will be at Rosehill Memorial Park in Minot, North Dakota.\r\nThe family requests that memorial gifts be directed to Global Health Ministries or The Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra.

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