Reaching 100 year milestone
Boulder Estates resident Evon Marquardt reminisces her life during celebration
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MARSHALL – Evon Marquardt has knowledge, memories and life experiences that span an entire century.
Marquardt, a resident of Boulder Estates in Marshall, celebrated her 100th birthday on Wednesday. Tenant Services staff organized an afternoon party in her honor which attracted a full house in the dining room.
She was born Sept 9, 1926, near Taunton to Max and Barbara Grengs, the fifth of six children. Her earliest years were spent at the family farm, a source of treasured childhood memories.
"We had a big tree with a swing," Marquardt said. "Our orchard had apples trees and plums. They made really good pies."
The family moved into Taunton in the 1930s after her father lost the farm in the Great Depression. She faced additional tragedy when he mother died when she was 10 years old.
She attended grade school in Taunton, then went to work instead of attending high school in Minneota.
"In those days children weren't always encouraged to stay in school," she said. "It made sense for me to work. I needed to help my family by making money."
Her first work experience involved housekeeping for two families in Taunton. She usually worked seven days a week, at a time when the phrase "another day another dollar" was the literal truth.
"I worked for a dollar a day," Marquardt said. "It's hard to believe considering how much pay rates have changed. My first jobs were good experiences. They taught me the value of hard work."
She later did housework and some field work on the Boulton farm near Taunton. She went on to work for a barber in St. Paul, then moved to North Chicago, Illinois, to work in a World War II era defense factory.
She helped to process vehicle components and aluminum that was mounted onto the helmets of soldiers. She said that the public didn't know exactly what was being manufactured in her factory because of the secrecy surrounding wartime production.
"I'm proud to have worked there," she said. "I felt that I was helping my country. We were doing something that helped to win the war."
As the war came to an end she went back to housekeeping for a short time before returning home to Taunton. The end of World War II brought some of her brothers and sisters home.
"It was good to be back after the war," Marquardt said. "Our family was back home. We were able to reunite and have good family time."
She met her husband, Ed Marquardt, at a dance in nearby Porter. They knew from their first meeting that they were destined to be good friends and perhaps more.
"The dance was the start of something," Evon said. "He became my best friend. After a while we decided to get married."
The couple first lived in Taunton, then in Marshall and in St. Paul, where she worked in a canning factory. They then decided that they should make a bolder move, one that took them all the way to the West Coast.
"Our relatives told us that we could make more money if we moved out to California," she said. "Many people were moving there, so we decided to give it a try. We loved California. We stayed for 23 years."
One of her favorite memories of California is the recreation room that she and Ed installed in their house. They moved back to Minnesota in retirement, to a small lake near Akeley. They bought a lake home and built an addition.
They lived on the lake for another 23 years. Evon became a resident of Boulder Estates about 15 years ago. One of her favorite activities when she first moved involved helping at the Boulder Estates Little Store grocery store.
In retirement she also enjoyed fishing, playing cards, and embroidery. She still enjoys meals with her friends and sometimes takes part in activities.
"I'm not as active as I was in the past," Marquardt said. "Sometimes I like to just relax in my apartment. I enjoy the peace and quiet."
She said her biggest piece of advice to children in 2026 is to value their education, to take advantage of opportunities that she didn't have. Her advice to parents or those who like herself are aunts and uncles would be to offer extensive guidance to children as they grow up.
Wednesday's party was the first of two birthday celebrations. Her family plans to have a party on Saturday in Marshall. Relatives will attend from as far away as California and Washington State.
"Some of the people on my family tree will be meeting each other for the first time," Marquardt said. "I feel very good about that. We held together as a family after my mother died. We've stayed in touch all these years."
Boulder Estates tenant council president Yvonne Caron first became acquainted with Marquardt as a volunteer for the local Senior Companion program.
The two of them share connections to Taunton. They also found that they have similar interests and the same sort of life experiences.
"Evon is an important part of Boulder Estates," Caron said. "I've known her for a long time. She's a very good friend."
Tenant Council vice president Elaine Dressen said she looked forward to Wednesday's party as a celebration of a long life, a happy occasion for a neighbor who remains active.
"I'm happy to celebrate with Evon," Dressen said. "It's great that she made it to 100 and that she's still healthy. It's an inspiration."