Marlys Jackson passed away on Wednesday, August 26, at her home in Battle Lake, MN, with sons Jon and Aanders by her side. She was 89.

Marlys Alice Shelstad was born on September 9, 1936, on the family farm in Doran, Minnesota, the fifth child of Edward and Myrtle Shelstad. A typical farm-kid of the era, she grew vegetables, helped raise livestock, and made baked goods, which she entered in the county fair. By the time she graduated from Breckenridge High School in 1954, she had decided to use her energy and talents to care for people. As a result, Marlys enrolled in pre-nursing coursework at the then North Dakota State School of Science and Augsburg College, ultimately earning her degree as a registered nurse from Lutheran Deaconess Hospital in Minneapolis.

Marlys married Dale Jackson of Breckenridge, MN, on September 6, 1958, at First Lutheran Church in Breckenridge. He sang to her during their ceremony.

Marlys and Dale moved their home and family literally a dozen times during the next 40 years before settling into retirement near most of her siblings in Otter Tail County, MN, in 1997. Everywhere they went, Marlys made it a real home for the family with good food, family traditions, and her talents for knitting and hand-embroidery. In most or all of these places, and she and Dale consistently got involved in two things – local service organizations and church choirs. Marlys loved to be in the thick of things, organizing events, chairing committees, and hosting new friends for dinners and games at their home.

As they traveled from place to place, Marlys became licensed as a nurse in four different states and worked on care teams in surgical suites, emergency rooms, and hospice settings for over 15 years. In 1972, she took her experience as a direct care provider to work for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota as part of the executive team. She was in charge of establishing and maintaining relationships between Blue Cross and its network of hospitals and clinics in greater Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. This new role meant lots of time traveling around the region to meet with people and develop connections.

Marlys loved her work and loved the things that her hard work made possible. She and Dale became small aircraft pilots in the early 1970s, also using this hobby to attend some far-flung family reunions and getaways in northern Minnesota. In retirement, she and Dale enjoyed traveling with siblings and classmates, exploring Europe, Asia, and the Americas. In between the larger trips, Marlys and Dale drove across the US on shorter jaunts to stay in touch with their cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Marlys was fearless in standing up for the people and causes she believed in. In 1974, she ran for elected office in an effort to add a woman’s voice to the mostly male Minnesota state legislature.

As a 4-H member in her youth, she learned skills that made her an expert cook, baker, and gardener and was seldom happier than when hosting friends and family for a special meal or celebratory occasion. She loved playing bridge and other card games, and was a formidable opponent in the competitive Shelstad arena. As a member of many church choirs, she proudly added her voice to the tenor section.

Marlys is survived and missed by her sons Jon (Margaret Moore) Jackson, their children Maia (and her daughter Mercury) and Finn – all of Grand Forks, ND; Aanders Jackson (Kay Van Erem) of Bismarck, their daughter Kathryn (Nicholas) Holzer (and their children Allison and Carter) also of Bismarck, and Nathan (Jessica) Jackson (and their children Julia, Aaron, and Cody) of Schertz, TX. She is also survived by her sister Carolyn Ellingson of Fergus Falls, and sisters-in-law Roxanne (McKee) Shelstad of Breckenridge, Eunice (Bronkow) Shelstad of Battle Lake, and Helen (Zeimer) Jackson of Sandy Hook, CT. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews as well as several cousins.

Marlys was preceded in death by her husband Dale; her parents Edward and Myrtle; her siblings John, Eleanor Burgett, Irene Henjum, Kenneth, and Roger; her brothers-in-law Wilfred Burgett, Arnold Henjum, Reynold Ellingson, Ronald Jackson, and Gordon Methven; and her sisters-in-law Norma (Twait) Shelstad and Lenore (Jackson) Methven; her nieces Lee Susan Methven, LeeAnn Henjum, Kerry (Shelstad) Hilleran, Kirsten Shelstad, and her nephews Daniel and Rolph Shelstad.

A visitation with time for sharing will be held from 4-7 pm on Thursday, September 3rd, 2026 at the Glende-Nilson Funeral Home in Battle Lake and will continue one hour prior to the funeral service, which will be held at 11:00 am Friday, September 4th at Eagle Lake Lutheran Church, south of Battle Lake. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Eagle Lake Lutheran Church or a charity of the donor’s choice.