Linda Marzolf’s Many Years of Community Service

Linda Marzolf’s name is well known by people throughout Fillmore County. The 85-year-old has served on a multitude of committees and organizations to make life better for all.

In the 1960s, Linda was one of the incorporators of the Carimona Township Community Chest along with Marge Wissing and June Maust. Before the group was organized, charitable funds were collected from residents by passing an envelope around from neighbor to neighbor. Often the envelopes were lost, misplaced or delayed. With the advent of the Community Chest, people went door-to-door to collect contributions and then disbursed the funds to local charities. To this day, Linda remains active in this organization.

Linda has served her church through many organizations. She has been president of the Ladies Aid Group and a member of the church council and choir. She taught Sunday School as well as a class called “Our Neighbor’s Faith.” In that class high schoolers studied other religions and visited other churches to learn about their beliefs and practices. Linda still has people come up to her with memories of those classes.

Marzolf joined the group working on the Comprehensive Plan for Fillmore County. She also served as head election judge for over 30 years.

Linda was chair of the Mr. and Mrs. Garden Club committee. The Garden Club worked to beautify Preston with flowers and conducted garden shows around Preston. One of their big projects was the creation of a daylily garden in a park a block south of the current Fillmore County Journal building.

Linda served as the secretary/treasurer for Christ Lutheran Cemetery Association for many years. She just recently gave up that position.

As a lay person, Linda served on The Good Samaritan Board. This organization’s goal was to help rehabilitate patients. Another organization intended to help people in the community was the Fillmore County DAC (Developmental Achievement Center). Linda served as vice chairman of the DAC. In that position, she worked with the DAC budget as well as was involved in hiring employees. Linda just recently resigned her position on the DAC.

Linda has been very involved in both Carimona Township and the Fillmore County Unit of Townships which is made up of all 26 Fillmore County townships; she served as its secretary for over 30 years.

Linda was the Carimona Township Clerk for over 30 years as well. She just resigned this year, turning over the reins to Teri Broadwater. Chuckling, Linda commented, “I told Teri that while I still have half a brain, I can help her (through the transition)!”

Not only did Linda work on many committees and organizations, she also has held many jobs. In 1959 she worked at the Fillmore County Recorders office; following that she worked at Snyder & Joerg Attorneys, F&M Community Bank and Preston Cable. She then returned to F&M Bank as a loan officer; from there she went to First National Bank in Spring Valley as a loan officer. Then she worked for J.F. Herrick and Tom Manion in Lanesboro followed by Nethercut Law Offices in Harmony.

Linda took some time off to care for her ill husband for three years. She later returned to work for lawyers Scott Springer &  Jennifer Gumbal in Preston. She now has worked for nine years at Novotny Law in Chatfield.

Linda underwent two major surgeries this past year. This did cause her to resign from some of her positions. She is currently recovering from hip surgery at home. Does she plan on retiring?  “Not yet! If I get better I’d like to go back to work; I enjoy what I do!”’ Linda replied.

When asked about her feelings about all of the committees and organizations she’s been on, Linda commented, “I never felt any of it was a waste of time. I’m a staunch believer in township government. It’s the most frugal way of maintaining roads. It’s truly grassroots government. I don’t think people realize how much there is to do for a township board! It can be a thankless job.”

Linda admitted it could get a bit overwhelming sometimes. Over the years the state has added many required reports. It used to be that you just took minutes at meetings.

“Over the years people have never been unkind to me,” Linda declared. Her technique in dealing with people was to explain what was going on and why decisions were made. Linda shared that the hardest thing she had to explain was why she couldn’t give people the loan they were seeking.

What Linda has enjoyed most about her work was meeting and getting to know so many people as she worked with them; she met many people from Spring Valley, Harmony, Preston, Lanesboro and Chatfield. Linda began her volunteer work because she knew it’s hard to get people involved. “It’s easy to say, ‘I’m too busy.’ If there was something I could help with, I’d do it!” Her husband had always joked that she just couldn’t say no. The entire county has benefited from all the work Linda has done through her many years of public service.