(Christianson) Wigley, was born there. They moved to Mankato in 1932 when Mr. Christianson became a partner in Creative Educational Society. Marian gave birth to their son, John Robert, at Immanuel Hospital and to a second son, Paul Kenneth. In 1939 the family moved to 134 Clark Street in Mankato where they lived until 1975. Their fourth child, James Milton, was born there. The previous year Mr. Christianson left Creative Educational Society to join Forde Publishing Company. From 1948-53 he was owner and proprietor of the Marshall Wells Hardware Store in Mankato.

Those were busy years for Marian, raising a family of 4 while heavily involved in a variety of church, civic, social and family activities. Her parents’ home was 2 blocks down the street, a sister and family lived nearby, another sister lived with the parents after retirement, and her brother, married and a partner in Creative Educational Society, also lived in Mankato. The whole family met regularly for Sunday dinner in their respective homes or for summer picnics at Lake Washington. Marian was active in the YW.C.A.(Young Women's Christian Assoc., PTA. (Parent-Teacher Assoc.), Camp Fire Girls, PE.O., Garden Club, Thursday Reading Club and Bethlehem Lutheran Church. In 1952 she was Women’s Co-Chair of a major fund-raising campaign for the expansion of Immanuel Hospital. From 1960-68 she served on the Blue Earth County Welfare Board. These and other activities were recognized during the 1975 International Women’s Year, when she was one of 3 honored as outstanding women at the YWCA Leader Dinner in Mankato.

From 1953 until his retirement in 1975 Mr. Christianson worked as a manufacturers’ agent. Then they sold the house on Clark Street, moved into an apartment and spent their winters traveling until Mr. Christianson’s health failed. He died 6 Jan 1979. Marian decided the following year to move to a location closer to one of her children. Jean and her husband Robert J. Wigley lived in Golden Valley, MN. Dr. John Christianson and his wife Birgitte lived in Decorah with their sons, Erik and Paul where John was Chairman of the History Department at Luther College (see their family history). Dr. Paul Christianson was a professor at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and the Reverend James M. Christianson and family lived in the state of Washington. Marian chose Decorah. She moved to 705 Fifth Avenue in Dec 1980 and has lived there ever since until moving to the Aase Haugen Home.

During her retirement years in Decorah Marian has been far from inactive. Besides getting together regularly with family and friends she opened her home to many visitors at the request of Vesterheim and Luther College. Her grandsons loved to visit her as they were growing up. Marian was active in PE.O., Town and Country Garden Club and its Porter House project, West Side Study Club, Travel Club and First Lutheran Church. Beginning in 1989 her son-in-law became a regular visitor to Decorah as a Regent of Luther College. Two knee prostheses, loss of hearing and difficulty in walking slowed her down but she was still gardening at the age of 88. She did not move to Decorah until an advanced age but her friendly smile and cheerful personality has brightened the days of many Decorah friends and acquaintances.

Cibuzar, Joseph and Catharine (Pesek)

(Dolores Ira)

Catherine Pesek Cibuzar

Joseph Cibuzar was born 12 Mar 1858 to Joseph and Terecia (Drobil) Cibuzar. He married Catharine Pesek 31 Jan 1882 at the Holy Trinity Church, Protivin, IA. Catharine was born in Cat Springs, TX 20 May 1856 to Jakub and Barbara (Malicek) Pesek. Joseph and Catharine lived on the family farm near Protivin for 8 years where 4 children were born: Mary (b. 3 Nov 1882); Joseph (b. 4 Mar 1885); Anna (b. 17 Mar 1887); and Frank (b. 2 Nov 1889). They then moved to Pocahontas, IA for 21/2 years where Emma and Charles, twins, were born 31 Dec 1891. They were barely settled and things were beginning to look better when Joseph became ill; so they packed up their family and belongings and moved back to Spillville, IA. Joseph was able to complete building their home before the disease of consumption (tuberculosis) overtook his body and at age 35 on 17 Aug 1893 he was relieved of his suffering. He was buried from the St. Wenceslaus Church with the composer, Antonin Dvorak, playing the funeral mass.

After the death of her husband and with the help of the older children, Catharine somehow managed to raise her family. She spent her last 15 years living with her daughter Emma and son-in-law Adolph in Spillville. She never learned to speak English so only Czech was spoken in the home. Many times you could see her with her rosary entwined between her fingers and her Czech prayer book, which showed signs of age, resting in her lap. Catharine went to her eternal reward 14 Jan 1938 and is buried in the St. Wenceslaus Cemetery.

Cibuzar, Joseph and Terecia (Drobil)

(Dolores Ira)

Joseph Cibuzar was born 1 Nov 1808 in Luzice #6, Bohemia, and Terecia Drobil was born about 1824 in Bohemia. They were married about 1852. They had 3