Marlene Dawn Baatz, 83, of Grand Forks, ND, passed away in the early morning on October 30, 2023, at the Valley Senior Living Center. She was born in Gully, MN, on April 6, 1940, to loving parents Delvin and Gladys (Walberg) Paulson. 
Growing up, Marlene attended school in Fosston, MN, and was a graduate with the class of 1958. Around this time, she met the love of her life at a country dance, Raymond Baatz, the two were married in June of that year. From their union, they had three children: Duane, Ronald, and Trish. Marlene and Raymond spent 48 happy years together until Raymond’s passing in 2006. Among the highlights of their time together, they traveled to almost every state in the country.
Marlene was a compassionate woman with a genuine love for other people, she loved her children and stayed home to raise them before taking on several different roles in the community she lived in. Marlene was a hard worker, spending her days farming alongside Raymond for many years. She was extremely active on boards and committees, serving on many throughout her life. Along with serving her community, she was also a volunteer “Grandma” for the mentoring program at the Climax Elementary School. While she greatly enjoyed the time she spent mentoring, being a grandmother was one of the greatest joys of her life, she deeply loved her grandchildren and every moment she got to spend with them.
Along with volunteering, Marlene also held various jobs such as working in the cafeteria at the school. Her kids remember coming home and having the same thing for dinner that they did at school for lunch. Marlene also worked at the scale house, weighing trucks; Census taking; and she also held a position on the St. Petri Church Council in Climax.
Marlene was a woman of many talents, she loved to crotchet, knit, and quilt. She made a quilt for each one of her grandkids. She loved gardening and looked forward to planting vegetables in the Spring. Marlene loved to read and keeping up with current events, she would have a conversation with anyone about that. Marlene was dedicated to her faith and honored that throughout her life. Marlene will be greatly missed by children, grandchildren, and many others.
Marlene is survived by her children: Duane (Cindy) Baatz of Neilsville, MN, Ronald (Tammy) Baatz of Climax, MN, Trish (David) Schmaltz or Farmington, MN. Grandchildren: Joshua, Jacob, Chelsea (TJ), Kayla (Ryan), Karina (Dustin), Taylor (Tyler), Courtney, and Jordan; Great-Grandchildren: Micah, Elijah, Harper, Isabella, Jasper, Eli, Reid, Lexi, Gavin, and Everly.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Baatz; Parents, Delvin and Gladys Paulson; Brother’s, David and Duane Paulson; and Parents-in-law, Vincent and Evelyn Baatz.
The Funeral Service honoring Marlene’s life will be on Friday, November 3, 2023, at 3:00 PM, at Climax Lutheran Church. Visitation will be one-hour prior to the service. Burial will take place at Fairview Cemetery in Beltrami, MN, following a luncheon at the church. Livestreaming will be available for those interested, please visit www.stenshoelhouske.com for more information.
