Obituary
Marguerite Mae Scholten Jolly
Marguerite Mae Scholten Jolly, 99, died March 30, 2021, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She was born in Hull, Iowa on June 12, 1921, the first of five children of George and Myrtle Scholten of Doon, Iowa. She married William Jolly in 1942 and the couple moved to the Twin Cities where they raised their family. Marguerite taught elementary school in the St. Anthony Village school system and was a member of Faith Methodist Church.
She is survived by a son, Robert of Ames, Iowa and daughter, Janis of La Crosse, Wisconsin; grandchildren, Daniel (Stacy) Jolly of Andover, Shannon Jolly of Beloit, Wisconsin, Meredith Thomsen (Josh Miner) of La Crosse and Colin Thomsen (Ellen Peterson) of Oslo, Norway, great-grandchildren Conor and Clare Jolly, Tolleiv Thomsen, Einar Peterson, Soren Miner and Isidore Thomsen, and a brother, Merle Scholten of California.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband William, sisters Shirley and Laura Gale, brother George Robert and daughter-in-law Colleen Jolly.
Marguerite was a stable presence for her family, setting a strong example of hard work at home and as a teacher. Her housekeeping was legendary, and she excelled as a cook and seamstress. She cared for her husband Bill during his long battle with the effects of diabetes, during a time when control of the disease was much more difficult than it is today.
She obtained her teaching degree from the U of Minnesota in 1965 by attending evening and summer school over a period of 12 years. Reading and literacy were important to her and she took pride in teaching reading to first graders in St. Anthony Village.
She loved music and always had season tickets to the Minnesota Orchestra. She enjoyed flowers and grew them at her home and on the deck of the family cabin on the Gunflint Trail.
A memorial service will be held in Minneapolis later this summer.
Memorials can be sent to Bethany St. Joseph Care Center garden fund. c/o Amanda Acklin, 2501 Shelby Road, La Crosse, WI 54601.
Dear Jan, Bob and families – Your mother, my Aunt Marguerite, has been a constant source of good in my life since I was a kid. She was my Dad’s favorite sibling and my favorite aunt. I am so grateful I was able to see her over the past several years and very saddened by her death. May wonderful memories of her comfort you and may you feel the love of God, family and friends in this time of great loss. My love to all of you,
Cousin Diane Scholten
All your visits and cards were much appreciated by Mother and by me. Thanks, Diane.
Hi Jan, I’m glad I migrated my way over here, from the brief notice in the Tribune. This is a lovely tribute to your mom, noting her strength as a stable presence for her family – that is truly an expression praise. I bet she was a loving presence to her students as well. My sympathy to all your family. I’m sure you will miss her, and I’m sure you have many fond memories, too.
Thanks, Karen. I really miss her.
What a beautiful life she lived, condolences from the Rossum family in Norway.
Kristin, Bjørn and Torhild