Michael Marsh
Michael Marsh, Sr., 72, died suddenly at home in Brooklyn Center after going into cardiac arrest in the early morning hours of December 22, 2022.
A memorial service will be held January 18 at 1 p.m. at Evans Nordby Funeral Home, 6000 Brooklyn Blvd. Brooklyn Center, MN 55429. Visitation will be held at 12 p.m. The family will be honoring their father with full military honors at Camp Ripley at 1 p.m. on April 24, 2023, which is their parent’s 52nd wedding anniversary. Their ashes will be spread at Marshland.
Michael was born June 17, 1950 to Monroe and Alice Marsh, on their farm in Staples. He was raised on the family homestead on the Crow Wing River.After graduating from Staples High School in 1968, Michael was drafted into the Army to serve his country during the Vietnam War. He was stationed stateside as a radar instructor during the war. He served active duty for 16 months, and an additional five years in the reserves. Michael was a proud veteran who loved his country.
On April 24, 1971, Mike married the love of his life, Christine Kemp, from Staples. Theirs was a great romance - an epic love story that most of us only encounter in poetry or song. They raised four children, eldest daughter, Jennifer, first born son, Michael, Jr. and identical twins Justin and Josh. In April 2015, just three days after their 44th anniversary, Mike tragically lost Christine to complications from lung cancer at the age of 62.
For the next seven plus years, Mike mourned Christine every day. He retired from Sun Chemical shortly after her passing, where he was a lab technician/color matcher for many years. Mike enjoyed spending time with his family, playing guitar, hanging out with his springer spaniel, Trudy and spending time on the Crow Wing River, near the homestead where he was born, on the ancestral estate his family affectionately refers to as“Marshland.” Mike loved his family immensely. He was proud of the children and the grand/great grandchildren he shared with his bride - there was a twinkle in his eye as he doted on them, to his very last day.
Mike is survived by four children, Jennifer (Jason) Barg, Michael (Shelley) Marsh, Jr., Justin (Maran) Marsh and Joshua (Erika) Marsh; five siblings, Pete (Jean) Marsh, Patt (Curt) Browning, Tim (Colleen) Marsh, Cindy Lou Chase and Dave (Cindy) Marsh; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Christine and one sister, Karen.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a memorial donation in their father’s honor.
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