Marietta Legleiter Walker passed away on a sunny winter afternoon, January 21, 2021, in the loving presence of her husband and children. The cause of her death was bacterial pneumonia. She was 90 years old.
Marietta was born in western Kansas, on October 14, 1930. A prodigy in accounting, she was hired by local businesses while still in high school. She then went to attain her college degree in business at Fort Hays State University. It was there, at the 1949 freshmen mixer, where she met the love of her life, Richard. After a courtship that included driving to Big Band concerts in Richard's 1947 convertible Studebaker Champion, they wed in 1952, and started their family soon thereafter. They eventually moved to Minneapolis in 1967, where Richard had been promoted to a senior executive position in a national retail company, while Marietta continued investing and managing her own portfolio.
In 1978, they undertook an opportunity to acquire the La Crosse Furniture Company. Marietta led its design team, and together she and Richard thrived as business partners over the next 20 years. Marietta was an insatiable reader and attentive birdwatcher, feeding her cardinals through the winter and hummingbirds through the summer. Her wit and spark were contagious.
She was an ace bridge player and avid Twins baseball fan. She loved music, enjoying season tickets at Orchestra Hall concerts for over fifty years. She and Richard were active in their parish, St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Golden Valley, Minnesota, leading its adult religious education programs. Among their numerous international trips, their most cherished one was to the Holy Land with their life-long friend and spiritual guide, Archbishop Robert Carlson, of St. Louis.
Marietta is survived by her devoted husband of 68 years, Richard. She is also survived by her four children Randall (Patricia), Stan, Michelle Skudlarek (Richard, deceased), and Kevin (Alice), as well as six grandchildren: Sophia, Gregory, Kip, Ellie, Ryan and Margaret. Marietta is also survived by her brother Rudy (Maralyn) Legleiter, sisters Margaret Hamilton and Bernadette Oelkers, sisters-in-law Mary Ann Legleiter & Maureen Legleiter, as well as many nephews, nieces, cousins, other inlaws and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Lidwina, her brothers Gilbert, Francis, Jules, Paul, Greg and Gene, and her Goddaughter, Stephanie Legleiter Adams.
Marietta was immensely proud of her daughter Michelle, an award-winning editor, her sons, all physicians, and all her grandchildren. She was happiest when the entire clan was together, especially at the family lake home in Northern Wisconsin.
She had a deep faith, praying the rosary daily, and lived by the teachings of St. Paul, "Fill your minds with those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable." Most of all, Marietta was loving and was well-loved. And though she will be deeply missed, she will live on in the lives of those who knew and loved her, and in the divine peace that is far beyond human understanding.
After a small family service, Marietta will be laid to rest at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. A special service to celebrate her life will be announced after the pandemic has subsided, in the spring. The family requests that memorials would be made to the charity of the donor's choice. Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996