Marjorie E. (Spreiter) Danielson

Obituary

Marjorie Ellen Anderson was born in Worthington, Minnesota, on March 14, 1936, to Fred and Nina (Johnson) Anderson. Later that year, their family moved to Plainview, Minnesota, and then in 1938, to Spring Valley, Minnesota, where Marjorie started school. During WWII, they moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Fred worked at Northern Pump making parts for battle ships and taught classes at Dunwoody Institute. When the war ended in 1945, the family moved to Hector, Minnesota, where her dad purchased the Oldsmobile dealership. Marjorie often helped her dad drive new vehicles between states and later did some bookkeeping for his business. Fred later opened a family restaurant called Freddie’s Café.

Marjorie, along with her dear younger sister, Marilynn, enjoyed growing up in a small, rural community. She was involved with friends and participated in the marching and concert bands, choir and was a part of the Homecoming court her senior year. Following her high school graduation, Marjorie attended the University of Minnesota for two years, preparing to become a Home Economics major. That plan was changed on Christmas of her sophomore year when her high school sweetheart, David Spreiter proposed and the two were married on September 14, 1956, at First Methodist Church in Hector. To that union were born four children, Susan, Nancy, Daniel and Jennifer.

Marjorie was involved in the First Methodist Church in Hector, as Sunday School teacher, directing the children’s choir, singing in the senior choir and as a substitute organist. She also participated in church women’s group activities, Christian Women’s Club, and as a Girl Scout leader. She enjoyed planning family vacations to National Parks and other historic places. Marjorie was known for her hospitality at their cabin on Diamond Lake. Hobbies throughout her life included reading, needlework, journaling her travels and life’s experiences, and working on genealogy. Her children recall their mom imparting traditions such as baking Christmas cookies and delivering them to elderly neighbors. She played the piano after Christmas dinner while family members sang along before sharing their music with nursing home residents in nearby Buffalo Lake.

In June 1980, following the sale of the Hector Security State Bank, Marjorie and David, along with Dan and Jenny moved to Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, and later lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In September 1995, they returned to Minnesota and settled in Buffalo, Minnesota. They biked many of the State’s trails and participated in the annual St. Paul Classic Bike Ride with family and friends. Marjorie’s work on family history led to taking a Swedish language class at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. This was followed by a trip to Scandinavia in 2001, where she and David stayed on the farm in Sweden where her maternal grandfather was born and explored the area in Denmark where her paternal grandparents had resided.

Following a period of declining health, David passed away on May 29, 2004.

Two years later, Marjorie met Donald Danielson at a fellowship group through their church and were married on August 5, 2006. Together they were involved in the Buffalo Covenant Church Victory Band where they entertained seniors throughout the area. They enjoyed traveling to the places where their children lived including Alaska, Washington State, Florida, and Illinois, as well as taking trips to Niagara Falls and the Bahamas. Don passed away on December 13, 2017.

In the year that followed Don’s passing, Marjorie’s daughter, Nancy lived with her mom until she moved to Park Terrace Assisted Living and Memory Care in Buffalo. Then in May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic Marjorie moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she lived with her daughter, Susan and her husband, Mark, until her death on February 2, 2022.

Preceding Marjorie in death were her parents, Fred and Nina Anderson; sister, Marilynn Zuelke; first husband, David Spreiter (of 48 years); second husband, Donald Danielson (of 11 years); David’s parents, Leslie and Florence Spreiter; brothers-in-law, Stephen and Theodore Spreiter, and Robert Zuelke; as well aunts, uncles and cousins.

She is survived by children: Susan Spreiter (husband Mark Rund) of Chicago, Illinois; Nancy Spreiter of Buffalo, Minnesota; Daniel Spreiter (partner Dara Smook) of Luverne, Minnesota; and Jennifer Almquist (husband David Almquist) of Colfax, Wisconsin. Grandchildren: Lauren (Shawn) Clark, Katie Robinson, Emily (Jonathan) Acevedo, Mark Spreiter, Andrew (Elizabeth) Almquist, Matthew (Lauren) Almquist, Lydia (Liam) Lafferty, Matthew Rund and Maureen (Eric) Becker. Great grandchildren: Nathan, Christian, Ezekiel and Elena Clark; Natalie and Courtney Acevedo; Jackson, Daniel and Andrew Rund; and Timothy, Sarah and Joseph Becker. Two more great-grandchildren will be born this year. She is also survived by sisters-in-law, Mary Spreiter, and Jo Lynn Spreiter; former sister-in-law, Jaylene Haspert; as well as by nieces, nephews, cousins, life-long friends, and the family of Donald Danielson.

Blessed be her memory.

Memorials may be sent to the Hector Historical Center, Alzheimer’s Association, or Amita Rainbow Hospice.