Marilyn Jean (Fenske) Heltzer, 86, died July 12, 2022, in Duluth. Marilyn was born to Teckla and Ted Fenske in Morris, on June 10, 1936. She was the second of four children. The family subsequently moved to St. Anthony Park, where she graduated from Murray High School before attending the University of Minnesota and meeting her husband, Jim Heltzer. They raised their family of three children in St. Louis Park.
She worked for Minnesota Public Radio starting as the first membership director in its early years, was a producer of Garrison Keillor’s Morning Show and later became the vice president of programming.
She is survived by her sisters Margaret (Charles) Arnason and Maureen (Chester) Saunders and her children Kathy Heltzer (Tina Welsh), Rebecca Heltzer (Cadance Paulaha), and Deborah Heltzer (Howard Walstein) and one granddaughter. She survived her brother Theodore Fenske, Jr.
Gifts can be made in her memory to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church or the Victory Chorus.
Her service was held Aug. 6 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth. A livestream of the service can be found at: gloriadeiduluth.org/worship/worship-livestream/
