Marjorie Mae (Freeman) Askelson, 89, passed away on April 19, 2011, at Our House in Austin, Minnesota.

Marjorie was born on her family farm near Moscow, Minn., to Cecil and Jeanette Freeman. She was the youngest of three children along with a sister and a brother. She grew up on the family farm and would walk down the road to the one room Crackerbox School, where she attended elementary school. She then went to stay in town during the week with an Aunt and graduated from Austin High School.

Marjorie married Argyle Askelson in 1941, and they moved to San Diego, Calif. She worked as a lathe operator at an airplane factory during the war. Argyle and Marjorie returned to Austin where they lived and worked on the family farm. They had three children, Richard, Kathy and Steven Askelson.

She was very involved on the farm and in the community. She was a leader in the Moscow 4-H club and enjoyed helping her children and grandchildren with projects and going to the Freeborn County Fair. She was a member of the Oakland Baptist Church where she served as the Sunday school secretary for many years and was very active in the church’s ladies aid. Marjorie had a love of flowers and vegetable gardening and was a member of the Austin Garden Club. She had a love for people and enjoyed volunteering at the Austin Medical Center coffee shop. She loved to travel, especially to California and Montana, where she had family. She always enjoyed the ocean and the mountains. Marjorie and Argyle loved to go camping and traveled all over with family and friends.

Marjorie is survived by a daughter, Kathy Askelson of Austin; a son, Steven Askelson and his wife Mindi of Austin, and daughter-in-law, Terry Briggs and her husband, Gordy of Adams; seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild; nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Argyle; son, Richard; brother and sister, Raymond and Alice and her parents, Cecil and Jeanette.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 26, at Grace Baptist Church with Pastor Bernie Boldt officiating. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary on Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. and at the church on Tuesday for one hour before the service. Casket bearers will be Vincent Askelson, Gordy Briggs, Yurii Skorin, Steve Wollschlager, David Thompson and Scott Bridley.