Marsha Jean Tuel

Marsha Jean Tuel, 78, a resident of Fergus Falls, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, March 2, 2017, at PioneerCare in Fergus Falls.

Marsha was born on April 25, 1938, in Duluth, MN, the first of five children to Ralph and Bernice Furtman. Her childhood consisted of church, family, and friends. Marsha’s parents enjoyed the outdoors, and early on Marsha became a keen camper and fisherman. She knew early on what she wanted in life; a loving husband and family. After graduating high school at Duluth Cathedral, she began working at a major bank in downtown Duluth. In her free time, she was an active volunteer with the USO at the Duluth Air Force Base and enjoyed socializing with her girlfriends.

She began to realize her dream of a family when she met the love of her life, Dennis Tuel Sr. in 1959. They married soon after on February 27, 1960. She became a mother by year’s end, and in steady progression built a family, all the while being a supportive wife as Dennis began his career first in pharmaceutical sales. They made their home in Duluth until they moved to Florida in 1967. They moved back to Minnesota in 1971 and Dennis started the business now known as ShoreMaster. Marsha’s primary focus was and would continue to be raising her five children. She also was an integral part of supporting Dennis in building ShoreMaster, and would do whatever was necessary to assist with the business, including attending trade shows and packaging nuts and bolts. In addition to ShoreMaster, Marsha and Dennis raised buffalo for twenty plus years. What started as a hobby quickly grew into a business named Buffalo Pass Ranch. Marsha loved meeting new people, and they gained many new friends with their active involvement in the Minnesota Bison Association. One of their favorite yearly activities was the Minnesota State Fair where they would volunteer at the Association’s booth and share their passion of buffalo with others. Marsha and Dennis also traveled around the world together, and shared many of these experiences with their children, exposing them to different cultures and cuisines.

Marsha’s true love was Dennis and being his partner was the greatest joy of her life. Throughout their life together, Marsha embraced and supported everything that Dennis was involved with. She even learned to fly and became Dennis’ co-pilot as he loved flying. In 1989, they built their dream home on Swan Lake south of Fergus Falls. They enjoyed the peacefulness of the lake and loved all the wildlife surrounding them. Marsha enjoyed cooking, especially making homemade spaghetti sauce, Chinese food and noodles. She loved hosting family get-togethers and holidays at her home. Christmas Eve at Grandma Marsha’s house was a cherished tradition. Marsha also enjoyed her crossword puzzles and solitaire.

Marsha’s legacy will be her family and the love she shared with everyone she met. She loved her family more than anything in this world. She enjoyed children and any four-legged animal she met; especially her own pets whom she treated as if they were her children. She loved watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow, and spoiled them with love, support, and ice cream treats as much as she could. She found great joy in watching her family succeed in their own lives and she celebrated all of their accomplishments.

After Dennis passed in April 2015, Marsha healed her family with the power of her love. While her health and grief made her journey more difficult, she found solace in her faith, and family. Nothing comforted her more than the words of Father Alan, and nothing made her smile wider than a new great grandchild placed in her arms. Her love of life, God, family, people and animals will continue through her large and growing family. She will be missed, but never gone. Her light and love-filled spirit will always remain.

Marsha is preceded in death by her husband, Dennis; and her parents, Ralph and Bernice Furtman.

She is survived by her four siblings: Brenda Schaeffer, Butch (Gloria) Furtman, Gregory Furtman and Michael (Mary Jo) Furtman; her five children: Lisa (Erik) Ahlgren, Lori (Michael) Botzet, Melissa (Ray) Rogers, Dennis Jr. (Kris) Tuel and Tricia (Michael) Vetrone; 14 grandchildren; and 8, soon to be 9 great-grandchildren.

Memorials preferred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Humane Society of Otter Tail County.

Visitation: 5-7 p.m. Monday, March 6, 2017, with a 6:30 p.m. prayer service at Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls. Visitation will resume one hour prior to the service at the church.
Service: 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Fergus Falls.
Clergy: Father Alan Wielinski, Father Louis Palomino, Father Bill Gamber, Deacon Chuck Kampa
Interment: St. Otto’s Catholic Cemetery, Fergus Falls
Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of the arrangements.