Gladys Elaine Goede Marzahn, daughter of Alice (Ricketts) and William Goede, was born June 15, 1933, on her mother’s birthday in Jackson County, Minnesota. She was baptized in the Methodist Church in Jackson. She grew up on the Goede farm, attending a rural school and then graduating from Jackson High School in 1951. She attended Mankato State College for one year, then taught in a rural school in Orient, South Dakota for one year. She later graduated from Mankato State College in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Before and after she graduated, she was employed as a Youth Director at Centenary Methodist Church in Mankato. The summer of 1957 was spent on a Work Mission trip to Sitka, Alaska helping to build houses on the Sheldon Jackson College Campus.

Gladys married Donald N. Marzahn on August 30, 1957, at the Jackson Methodist Church. The following year Donald completed his degree at Mankato State College and Gladys taught Home Economics in St. Peter. In 1958, they moved to Waterville, where they were active in the family farm implement business, which they later purchased. The following two years, Gladys taught Home Economics in Morristown High School, then became parts person and bookkeeper at Marzahn’s of Waterville.

Gladys and Donald became parents to three children: Mark (1959), Mary (1962), and Paul (1963).

Gladys was an active member of the Lakeside Methodist Church, later renamed the Evangelical United Methodist Church, a member of the choir, United Methodist Woman’s group, Home Economics Club, Sunday School teacher and part-time organist. She was especially interested in summer camping experiences for church and community youth because that was where she met Jesus. She was a representative to the Minnesota Annual Conference and Hamline University for many years.

From 1984 through 1994, Gladys worked with mentally and physically challenged persons at the Le Sueur County Development Center in Waterville. In 2005, she moved to Lakeville where she lived with and near her children Mary and Paul and spouses and five grandchildren. Crossroads Church of Lakeville then became her church home.

Gladys passed away on October 3, 2026. She was 93 years old, living in Lakeville at the time. She is survived by Mark and wife Magda and daughter Cynthia; Mary and daughters Sydney and Karisa; and Paul and wife Deb and children Rebekah, Rachel, and Joshua. She was preceded in death by her parents Alice and William; siblings Ardyce, Mildred, Ruth, and William Jr.; and son-in-law Randy.

Visitation (9:00-10:30am) and Funeral Service (10:30am-11:30am) to be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at Mercy Road Church, 17671 Glacier Way, Lakeville, MN 55044 with luncheon to follow.

Internment service to be held at Sakatah Lakeside Cemetery on Highway 60, Waterville, MN at 2:45pm with dinner to follow at Waterville Evangelical United Methodist Church, 319 East Main Street, Waterville, MN 56096.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 12701 White Water Drive, Ste 290, Minnetonka, MN 55343; EID 13-3039601.