FAIRMONT - Marilyn M. Anderson, 81, of Fairmont, Minn.,

Burial will be in Center Chain Cemetery, rural Fairmont, Minn.

Marilyn was called to her eternal rest on Wednesday afternoon, July 9, 2014, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minn.

Marilyn Mae Cronk was born June 10, 1933, in northern Minnesota to Burton and Mildred (Krough) Cronk. She moved with her family to Halfa, Iowa. Marilyn was a 1951 graduate of Maple Hill High School in Maple Hill, Iowa, where they lived. She lived in California until moving to the Fairmont, Minn., area. On April 10, 1951, she was united in marriage to Richard Wayne Anderson in Fairmont, Minn. They lived on a farm in Silver Lake Township where Marilyn was employed in housekeeping at the Fairmont Community Hospital for many years. Richard died on Oct. 12, 1999. Marilyn was a tiny person with a huge heart. She was 4'10" and 90 pounds. She loved her family and friends. She stayed living on the family farm for about two years after the death of her husband, Richard, in 1999. Marilyn then moved to Summit Vue Apartments in Fairmont where she lived for several years. She began to show signs of dementia and couldn't live alone any longer so she moved in with her son, Keith, and his wife, Elaine. When that became too hard, she moved to Goldfinch Estates Memory Care unit. She really liked her room and the people there. She constantly reminded us that "it didn't smell like a rest home." Before her dementia, she loved doing crafts. Marilyn made doll houses and room boxes and made furniture. She also made hardanger, which is intricate needlework. She won several ribbons at the Martin County Fair with her entries. She loved movies and had hundreds of them recorded. She especially loved her children, Kathy, Keith (Casey) and Kirk, and her grandchildren, Kelly, Kody, Jack and Katie.

She is survived by her children, Kathy (Ken) Bergemann of rural Trimont, Minn., Keith (Casey) and wife, Elaine Anderson, of Northrop, Minn., and Kirk (Amy) Anderson of St. Peter, Minn.; four grandchildren, Kelly (Nick) Fritz, Kody Bergemann and fiance, Hannah Grefe, Jack and Katie Anderson; sister, Linda (Steve) Craig of Welcome, Minn.; brother, Bill (Pam) Cronk of Fairmont; several sisters-in-laws and brothers-in-law; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Along with her parents, Burton and Mildred Cronk, Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Anderson; sister, Roberta Soper and husband, Eldon; sisters-in-law, Maxine Maschoff, Donna Najt and Lois Reineke; nephews, Trent Craig, Jeff Reineke, Joe Reineke; nieces, Jan (Reineke) LeRoss and Jill (Reineke) Hollnagel; and other relatives.