Marlene Minke

Marlene V. Minke, age 94, of Merrifield, Minnesota, passed away on Monday, July 28, 2025, at Northern Lakes Senior Living Memory Care.

A Celebration of Life service will be held in Merrifield in July 2026 at the former Family Fun Resort.

Marlene Virginia Knapp was born on September 15, 1930, in Swatara, Minnesota, to John and Josephine (Stauder) Knapp. She graduated from Hill City High School in 1948. She was united in marriage to Calvin Carl Minke on July 18,1953 , at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Princeton. With the marriage, Marlene became mother to Calvin’s three boys. Their marriage was also blessed with four children.

They made their home in Mankato, Princeton, and Willmar, later moving to New London-Spicer. Marlene taught Home Economics and Business in Grove City and New London-Spicer before retiring from teaching. In 1974, Cal and Marlene purchased Family Fun Resort in Merrifield, Minnesota, where they added a tennis court and rebuilt the cabins and hosted many family vacations. She continued to run the resort after Cal’s death in 1990 and retired from the resort business in 2000 but continued to help with the resort operations.

She met Lee Smith, Sr. in 2003, and they married at their residence in 2005. Marlene loved her family and her passion was dancing. She also enjoyed knitting, sewing and traveling. She will always be remembered for her homemade cheesecake, brownies, and pancakes.

Marlene is survived by her children, Daniel Warren Minke (Janet) of Fort Ripley, Brenda Carol (Craig) Knudsen of Kandiyohi, Thomas Allen (Holly) Minke of Monticello, David Joel Minke of Minneapolis, and Steven Paul Minke of Maple Grove; 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren and a brother, Robert Knapp, and sister, Lola Christensen.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Josephine; son, Timothy Mark Minke; son, Martin Joe Minke; and husbands, Calvin Minke and Lee Smith, Sr.; two brothers and one sister.

Arrangements were entrusted to Brenny Family Funeral Chapel of Brainerd.