Marlys V. SKALSTAD

1934 - 2021

SKALSTAD, Marlys V. Marlys V. Skalstad was born to Christian and Karly Skalstad on September 1, 1934 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. She was the fifth of six children. The family moved to Spokane a few years later when Marlys was a child. She attended Roosevelt Elementary and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1952. After high school, she began working for Great Northwest Insurance Company. Shortly after, she was asked to help start North Coast Life Insurance Company where she worked for forty-seven years as a bookkeeper and receptionist until she retired in 2014 at the age of 79. She was known as "the voice of North Coast Life" due to her caring yet professional manner as she answered the phones. She was a lifetime member of Beacon Chapel. Marlys was a very caring person. When her father passed away in 1959, her siblings asked her to care for their mother. She purchased a home that year in which she and her mother lived, helping care for her until she passed in 1979. Then Marlys cared for her sister, Doris, until she passed in 1993. She also helped care for her younger brother, Richard, until he passed away in 2013. She loved and cared for her family so much while still holding down a full-time job. Marlys was always a giver. Whether it was your birthday or Christmas or some other holiday, you were sure to be remembered. But Christmas was her favorite. She continued to host the extended family Christmas Eve dinner at her home for over fifty years. Not only did you receive dinner, but you got a present from her and from Santa. Not having her own family, she treated her younger brother Richard's children, Christian and Sally, as her own. And when they each had family, she treated and loved those eight boys as her own grandchildren: Bradley, Zachary, William, Benjamin, Joshua, Richard, Luke, and Jerry. As Marlys' health began to deteriorate, people started to return the kindness Marlys had shown to them. Friends from work and kind neighbors reached out to help her. Kirsten gave endless hours and days helping her with shopping and appointments so she could stay in her house that she loved and never wanted to leave. However, in 2018, her dementia made it so she was not safe at home. She moved to Royal Park Retirement Center where she lived for the past two years. Marlys went to join her Savior Jesus Christ and her family on January 30, 2021. What a celebration that must have been! She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings Doris Mosier, Robert Skalstad, Ray Skalstad, Lillian Pearson, Richard Skalstad; and a niece, Linda Beltran. She is survived by her nieces Theresa George, Marilyn Skalstad, Nancy Chase, and Sally Gores (Mark); nephews Mike Skalstad (Michelle), Rich L. Skalstad (Karin), Gary Pearson (Molly), Dan Pearson, Bob Mosier, Christian Skalstad (Kirsten); and many grand nieces and nephews. We want to thank everyone who helped care for Marlys: co-workers, neighbors, Connie Olsen, and especially the caring people at Royal Park who gave her care, love, and dignity these last two years. Donations may be made to Meals on Wheels or Union Gospel Mission in her memory. A celebration of her life will occur at a later time.