Marie Dorothy Blakestad

MARIE D. BLAKESTAD

Humboldt

Marie Dorothy Blakestad, 88, passed away on Jan. 10, 2020, at the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Marie was born Aug. 21, 1931, in rural Wayland, Iowa, the daughter of Louie E. and Verna (Boese) Kaufman. She attended Wayland schools, graduating in 1950, then the University of Iowa, where she graduated in 1954 with a B.A. in journalism.

She moved to Portland, Ore., and worked for the Portland Journal for a year, after which she returned to Washington, Iowa, where she met Wallace F. Blakestad, a pharmacist at Osincup Drug. They married on May 16, 1957, at the Swedesburg Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Following Wally's deployment to Korea, they moved to Humboldt, Iowa, in 1959, where Wally worked at Larson Drug while Marie looked after their two daughters, Janet and Nancy. Wally and Marie purchased the store in 1972, renaming it Blakestad Drug, and Marie worked at the store as a business manager and gift buyer until their retirement in 2001.

Marie was very active in her church and community, and was known for her delicious baked goods and her many hand-stitched quilts. She enjoyed flower gardening, reading historical books and biographies, Hawkeye sports, and Scrabble.

She is survived by daughters Janet (Ken) Bade of Humboldt and Dr. Nancy Blakestad of St. Paul, Minn.; sister Velda (Keith) Hammel of Big Rapids, Mich.; brother Larry (Carole) Kaufman of Olds, Iowa; two step-grandchildren, Dan Bade and Scott (Erika) Bade, and two step-great grandchildren, Oliver and Audrey Bade, all of St. Paul, Minn.; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wally; her parents; and siblings Archie, Richard, Vernon and Verlee.

A Celebration of Life is planned for the spring, with burial at Union Cemetery in Humboldt, Iowa.