Marilynn Kelm
DECEMBER 7, 1937 – SEPTEMBER 7, 2026
Marilynn Burt Kelm was born to Pearl (Brown) and Willard Burt on December 7, 1937, in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, in the home of her maternal grandmother, who was a midwife and delivered her. She grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, and spent a happy childhood hunting and fishing with her parents, ice skating in the winter, and swimming and waterskiing in the summer. Her parents built a cottage at Pelican Lake in Minnesota in 1945, and it became the setting for countless family gatherings and summer traditions. After graduating from Fargo Central High, she attended Moorhead State College. In 1958, she married Jim Kelm, and paused her studies as they started a family, welcoming two daughters, first Susan and then Shari. In 1965, Jim’s job took the family to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Marilynn became active in Lutheran women’s auxiliary, garden club, and PTA. She served on several boards, including the United Way and the Civic Fine Arts Association. Marilynn enjoyed painting and sculpting, and she took art classes at Augustana College. Marilynn and Jim bought their own lake cottage near her parents, where the family had many fun summers swimming, boating, and waterskiing. Marilynn created happy memories with her daughters there, exploring nature, identifying wildflowers and birds, painting, and sculpting together. Marilynn continued to visit Pelican Lake almost every summer throughout her life. Marilynn’s life was one of service—to her community, church, and government. She had a passion for the environment, and in the early 1970s, she became involved in environmental work. She co-founded the South Dakota Environmental Coalition and the Clean Air Coalition, work for which she received several conservation awards, including being named the Air Conservationist of the Year by the South Dakota Wildlife Federation. She served on the board of the recycling group CRUD. In 1973, Governor Richard Kneip appointed her to the State Board of Environmental Protection. The only woman on the board, she was elected chair at the first meeting. In 1972, she was listed in the Outstanding Young Women in America. 1
Her activities also took a political turn. She joined the League of Women Voters and became president of the Sioux Falls chapter. As a feminist, she was an advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment. Wanting to make a bigger impact, in 1973 she ran for the state senate and was elected. As a Democratic senator, she continued to work for the environment and women’s rights. In 1976, Jim’s job took the family to Atlanta, Georgia. Marilynn quickly found a place to direct her energy, working for the Jimmy Carter campaign. A fond family memory was their trip to DC for the Carter inauguration, with Marilynn and Jim attending an inaugural ball. Marilynn went back to school at Georgia State University, where she was on the dean’s list and earned her bachelor’s degree in urban planning in 1977. She worked for the Environmental Protection Agency and then for the Carter administration in Washington, DC, in the Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining. Decked out in a hard hat and steel-tipped boots, she traveled around the country surveying strip mines. Through the years, she worked on other political campaigns, including Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. In 1983, at the age of 45, Marilynn began law school at the University of Georgia—one year ahead of her daughter Susan, who also attended law school. After graduation, she worked first for the Prisoner’s Legal Project at the state prison in Jackson, GA, and then in private practice for a small firm in Atlanta doing family law. In 1993, she joined the Office of the General Counsel of the Social Security Administration and retired from OGC in 2003. Marilynn had a sense of adventure and loved to travel. She and Jim took the girls on many long car trips; the longest and most memorable was the epic family road trip from South Dakota all the way down to Mexico City and Acapulco. In later years, she traveled to Russia, Turkey, and numerous European countries, including a special trip to Norway with her mother and sister Julie to visit the land of their ancestors. A faithful Lutheran her entire life, Marilynn was an active member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta for many years. In retirement, she devoted much of her time to the church. Her service included working tirelessly on the constitution committee focusing on the by-laws, election to the church council, and chairing the Community Outreach Board. She also served on the senior pastor call committee and the Southeastern Synod Candidacy Committee. Marilynn is survived by her daughters, Susan Kelm Story and Shari Kelm Simmons (Tom); her grandchildren, Christian Kelm and Georgia Simmons; and her sister Julie Burt. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her sister Bonnie Eliason. PRELUDE GATHERING Standing Welcome in the name of Jesus the Savior, who died and was raised to new life by the grace of God. We are gathered here to worship, to remember before God our sister Marilynn, to give thanks for her life, to commend her to our merciful redeemer, and to comfort one another in our grief. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all mercy and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our sorrows so that we can comfort others in their sorrows with the consolation we ourselves have received from God. | Thanks be to God. 2
THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM When we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ACCLAMATION Eternal God, maker of heaven and earth, who formed us from the dust of the earth, who by your breath gave us life, we glorify you. | We glorify you. Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life, who suffered death for all humanity, who rose from the grave to open the way to eternal life, we praise you. | We praise you. Holy Spirit, author and giver of life, the comforter of all who sorrow, our sure confidence and everlasting hope, we worship you. | We worship you. To you, O blessed Trinity, be glory and honor, forever and ever. | Amen. HYMN 779
Amazing Grace
GREETING The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | And also with you. 3
PRAYER OF THE DAY O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our sister, Marilynn. We thank you for giving her to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see that death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may live in confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered to our heavenly home in the company of all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. | Amen. Seated REMEMBRANCE
Ed Kuehn
SCRIPTURE READINGS Romans 8:31-38 read by Diane Currence Psalm 23 (read responsively) The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: For Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Standing GOSPEL John 14: 1-6 Seated SERMON Standing HYMN 856
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Pastor Mark H. Larson How Great Thou Art
APOSTLES' CREED God has made us his people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Kneeling or Seated 5
PRAYERS Let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Jesus, full of compassion, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to us who mourn for Marilynn and dry the tears of those who weep. In your mercy, | hear our prayer. Jesus, man of sorrows, you wept at the grave of Lazarus your friend; comfort us who mourn. In your mercy, | hear our prayer. Jesus, firstborn of the new creation, you raised the dead; give to our sister, Marilynn, life eternal. In your mercy, | hear our prayer. Jesus, friend of sinners, you promised paradise to the repentant thief; bring Marilynn to the joys of heaven. In your mercy, | hear our prayer. Jesus, wellspring of life, you washed Marilynn in baptism and anointed her with the Holy Spirit; give her communion with all your saints. In your mercy, | hear our prayer. Jesus, bread of life, you nourished Marilynn at your table on earth; Welcome her at your table in the realm of heaven. In your mercy, | hear our prayer. Jesus, bright morning star, comfort us in our sorrows at the death of Marilynn. Let our faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope. In your mercy, | hear our prayer. God of all grace, we give you thanks because by his death our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed the power of death and by his resurrection opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Make us certain that because he lives we shall live also, and that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate us from your love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. | Amen. Standing SHARING THE PEACE The peace of the Lord be with you all. |And also with you. Please share a sign of blessing with your fellow worshipers in whatever way is comfortable for you. GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. | And also with you. Lift up your hearts. | We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. | It is right to give God thanks and praise. You are holy, O God of majesty, and holy is your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He lived as one of us, and knew our joy, our pain and sorrow, and our death. By his death on the cross you revealed that your love has no limit. By raising him from death you conquered the last enemy, crushed all evil powers, and gave new life to the world. 6
In the night in which he was betrayed our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me. Remembering your gracious acts in Jesus Christ, we take from your creation this bread and wine and joyfully celebrate his death and resurrection, as we await the day of his coming. Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us, and upon these gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ. By your Spirit unite us with the living Christ and with all who are baptized in his name. Remember our sister, Marilynn whose baptism is now complete in death. Bring her into your eternal joy and light, together with all who have died in the peace of Christ; through whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty God, now and forever. | Amen. Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray… LORD’S PRAYER Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. INVITATION TO COMMUNION The risen Christ dwells with us here. All who are hungry, all who are thirsty, come. Seated DISTRIBUTION Standing POST COMMUNION The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. Amen COMMENDATION Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Marilynn. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. | Amen. HYMN 733 7
Great is Thy Faithfulness
FAREWELL Let us go forth in peace in the name of Christ. | In the name of Christ, Amen Seated POSTLUDE Liturgy from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2013 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #21979.
Officiants: Pastor Mark H. Larson and Pastor Jonathan Trapp Organist: Sarah Hawbecker Please join the family for a reception following the service in the Sims Atrium. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta. 8