Marie Laing

Mass of Christian Burial celebrating the life of Marie Elizabeth (Schulzetenberg) Laing, age 87, of Freeport, MN and most recently of Country Villa in Sartell will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport. Father Roger Klassen, O.S.B. will officiate with Father Roger Botz, O.S.B. concelebrating. Burial will take place in the parish cemetery.Marie died peacefully surrounded by her family at the St. Cloud Hospital on January 11.

There will be a visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church in Freeport. Goldenaires Senior Citizens and the Christian Mothers will pray at 4 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 5 p.m. Tuesday evening.

Marie Elizabeth Schulzetenberg was born March 13, 1924 in New Munich to Henry Gerard and Pauline Mary (Leukam) Schulzetenberg. She attended school in New Munich. On September 19, 1949 she was united in marriage to Helerian "Larry" Laing at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Munich. They were married for 62 years. She co-owned the Corner Store, Inc. in Freeport, a grocery, hardware and general store for nearly 40 years. She lived in Freeport most of her life until moving to Country Villa Assisted Living in Sartell in 2005 to be near her daughter. Marie was a loving wife, mother and grandmother who loved her role as homemaker. She was well known for her cooking and baking skills and enjoyed cleaning and decorating her home. She loved to quilt, sew clothing for her family, dance and listen to music and spoke fluent German, which was her heritage. She also loved to play cards, cribbage, gardening and canning, flower gardens, and cheering for the Twins! She was an impeccable hostess for family and friends. Marie and Larry always were filled with generosity and graciousness. Her German heritage and upbringing taught her to be very kind and giving. She was a perfectionist in every detail of homemaking, along with a strong work ethic. She also was a woman of endearing faith in God, attended daily mass most of her life, and gave her all to the Catholic church and God, as He was the stronghold in her life and the center of her home. She volunteered her time to the church by cleaning church, as a member of the church choir, baking for funerals, and sending food to families who had lost a loved one. Many people have enjoyed her wonderful cooking and baking! She was always there for her children and grandchildren and followed their sporting events, dance shows, figure skating shows and any other event the grandchildren participated in, a devoted grandmother and mother. Family and friendships were very important to Marie!

Marie was a member of the Christian Mothers and the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport where she quilted for parish church festivals for many years, the Goldenaires Senior Citizens and the Catholic Aid Association. She attended mass at the Country Manor Chapel in recent years following her move to Sartell 6 years ago.

Marie is survived by her children, Lois (Jamie Rask) Tamm of Sartell and Jim (Becky) Laing of Burnsville; five grandchildren, Brandon Tamm of Plymouth, Brittany Tamm of Mesa, Arizona, Kieran Tamm of Sartell and Austin and Brooke Laing of Burnsville; sister-in-law, Sylvia Schulzetenberg of New Munich; brother and sister-in-law, Norb and Muriel Laing of Bloomington; brother-in-law, Harold Laing of Osseo; and sister-in-law, Beverly Laing of Florida.

Marie was preceded in death by her mother and father, Henry and Pauline (Leukam) Schulzetenberg; her husband, Larry Laing who passed away March 9, 2011; brothers, Edmund, Martin, Othmar, Henry and Reverend Raymond Schulzetenberg; sisters, Sr. Ermenilda, O.S.B., Rose Meyer and Irene Schulzetenberg; brother-in-law, David Laing, Henry "Hank" Dwyer; and sisters-in-law, Betty Laing and Marcella "Sally" Dwyer.

Special thanks is given to the staff of the St. Cloud Hospital, Dr. Stephen Reichl of CentraCare River Campus, Country Villa Assisted Living and Home Care, and Country Manor Rapid Recovery for the kind and loving care given to Marie over the past several years!

Serving as casket bearers will be Brandon Tamm, David Schulzetenberg, Gary Schulzetenberg, Dan Schulzetenberg, Carl Schulzetenberg, and Brian Schulzetenberg. Cross bearer will be Brooke Laing, scripture bearer will be Brittany Tamm, and pall bearer will be Austin Laing. Gift bearers will be Pat Meyer and Kieran Tamm. Eucharistic Ministers will be Mary Ann Laing and Mary Goebel. Readers will be Karen Molitor and Ruth Hartman. Petitions will be read by Deb Spanier and the eulogy by Becky Laing. Honorary bearers will be the Goldenaires Senior Citizens and the Christian Mothers.