Muriel V. Engen

Memorial services for Muriel V. Engen, age 89, of Albert Lea, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at Ascension Lutheran Church.  Rev. Mark Boorsma will officiate. Interment will be at Graceland Cemetery.  Friends may greet the family one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Online condolences are welcome at www.bayviewfuneral.com.

Muriel passed away Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

Muriel V. Engen was born to Roy and Myrtle (Bjurstrom) Johnson near Stockholm, WI. on November 20, 1928, exactly 100 years to the day of her great-grandfather Victor Johnson’s birth.  She attended country school and graduated from Maiden Rock High School in 1946. She later attended Secretarial School in Winona.  Her career took her to many places, including Eau Claire, WI, Minneapolis, San Diego, CA, and Albert Lea. She worked for many years as a legal secretary.  Muriel married Allen Engen on January 5, 1957 in Minneapolis.  They began their marriage in Olivia, where they lived for a year, then on to Minneapolis, and finally to Albert Lea where they had their two children, Thomas and Wendy. In 1969, their careers took them to St. Louis Park, MN, where they lived for 28 years.

Muriel took on many volunteer positions in those years.  The most rewarding being chairman of Loaves and Fishes feeding the hungry in Minneapolis, and later feeding the homeless in Phoenix, AZ.  In 1997, after retirement, Al and Muriel returned to Albert Lea where they still had many close friends.  Muriel was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church where she participated in many circle and quilting groups.  Muriel and Al were both only children, but many of their cousins were considered siblings and friends were thought of as family.  They enjoyed antiquing, travel and cruises and made a number of trips to Europe to visit and travel with their son Tom, during his military service.  They enjoyed trips to Hawaii and Alaska as well.  They spent 16 winters in Phoenix where they would spend time with Wendy and her family.

Muriel is survived by her daughter, Wendy Gravely; grandchildren, Thomas (Abigail) Gravely and Hannah (Johnny) Pina; great-grandchildren, Haze, Coraline, and Hope; and special friends, Pat (Laurie) Martini, Maria Martini, Matt Martini, and Judy Calahan.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Allen in 2012; and son, Tom in 2010.  Blessed be her memory.

Memorials are preferred to Mayo Clinic Hospice or Ascension Lutheran Church.