Marian Babcock

Marian Ismay Krenik Olson Babcock, age 97, of St. Peter, died on December 16, 2020 at the Benedictine Living Community in St. Peter. 

A private burial was held at Woodlawn Cemetery in St. Peter. St. Peter Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Marian was born on January 7, 1923 to Jacob and Emma (Pope) Krenik in Washington Township.  She was one of 9 siblings.  Marian graduated from Cleveland High School in 1940 and from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1944.  

On June 15, 1946, Marian married Sander L. Olson in Minneapolis.  The couple moved back to St. Peter in 1948 after purchasing the St. Peter Herald (and eventually the Lafayette Ledger and Norselund News).  Sander was the Editor in Chief and Publisher until his untimely death in January 1977.  Running the Herald was a family affair. Marian helped with everything from office work to stuffing and delivering the papers while raising their two boys — Matthew and Kim — and their daughter, Gretchen.  She also taught Business courses at St. Peter High School from 1970 until her retirement in 1982.

On October 17, 1981, Marian married Charles Babcock of St. Peter.  She was widowed a second time in 1993.  

Marian was actively engaged in the St. Peter community.  She was a longtime volunteer for the Red Cross and a member of the League of Women Voters, the ELCW (Evangelical Lutheran Church Women), and the St. Peter Library Board.  She was a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church of St. Peter.

Marian’s hobbies included gardening (she especially loved wildflowers), playing bridge, doing needlepoint, and meeting her friends for coffee in downtown St. Peter.  She loved classical music, especially Dvorak.  

Marian is survived by her children, Matthew (Sally Rainey) Olson of Boulder, Colorado and Gretchen (David) Gilbert of Springfield, Missouri; her daughter-in-law, Bridget Olson; grandchildren, Tim (Lindsay) Gilbert, Nora (Matthew) Cooke, Jacob Olson, Kelsey (Geoffrey) Grammer, Sterling Olson, and Michael Gilbert; great-granddaughter, Eleanor Grammer; and the Charles Babcock family, Michael, Kathy, Joy, Charles, William, Mark, and nine step-grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings; her husbands, Sander and Charles; and her son, Kim.

The family would like to thank Benedictine Living Center for the devoted care they gave to Marian and St. Peter Funeral Home for their assistance.