Marla Jean Forbord

Marla Jean (Corneliusen) Forbord was called from this life on February 1, 2024, after struggling with Alzheimer’s for the last five years. Marla's Celebration of Life will be held at 3:00 pm on Saturday, May 11th, 2024, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Benson, Minnesota.

Marla was born May 22, 1952, in Benson, Minnesota, to Viola (Motzko) and LaMarr Corneliusen. She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith. She graduated from Benson High School in 1970. After high school, Marla was a nanny in Madison, Wisconsin, and then spent time with her sister Charlotte and friends in Minneapolis before she moved back to Benson. She married Glen Forbord in February of 1971 and began practicing the Lutheran faith. They had five children, and later divorced.

Marla dedicated her life to caring for others. Throughout her life, she held several waitressing jobs, was a Head Start teacher’s aide, a childcare provider, a probation officer, and, after attending Ridgewater College, a Mental Health Practitioner. She also devoted much love and care to her grandchildren when she could.

Marla was very creative. She liked to draw, paint and craft. Other interests throughout her life included golfing, tennis, bowling, shooting pool, homemaking, family history, antiquing, scrap booking, and journaling. She liked to camp with her boyfriend Dale and thrift, giving old things new life! She also loved spending time with friends and family at “the lake,” as well as the tradition of hosting family holidays. She would never pass up the opportunity to sit with friends, or her mother, to have a cup of coffee and chat.

Marla is survived by her five children:  Karisha Forbord of St. Cloud, Jeremy (Rita) Forbord of Mound, Katrine (Jesse) Widmer of Sauk Rapids, Kaley Forbord (Tim Bennett) of Sauk Rapids, and Corey Forbord of Mankato; ten grandchildren:  Tevin (Brad) Nelson, Malia Dekle, Nathan (Khrisztigna) Dekle, Brooklyn, Micah, Vincent and Raegen Widmer, Autumn Hanson, Westley and Evran Bennett; six great-grandchildren: Grace, Loretta and Hazel Nelson, Leighlonne Roberts, Jasper and Silas Dekle; and three siblings:  Charlotte (Randy) Halstead of Duncan Mills, CA, Greg Corneliusen of Benson, MN, and Bruce (Julie) Corneliusen of Alexandria, MN.

Marla was preceded in death by her boyfriend Dale Burns, her mother Viola Corneliusen, and father LaMarr Corneliusen.

Marla's Celebration of Life will be held at 3:00 pm on Saturday, May 11th, 2024 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Benson, MN. Just before that at 2:00 pm, we will be displaying some of her paintings and journal notes. She wrote many little "thank you" entries in her journals over the years and we would like to share some of them back.

Following that theme, we invite you to write a "thanks" back to Marla. This can be a simple one-line message or a longer "story." You can write this on fancy paper or even a napkin. We will have paper available for you to write at the service if you prefer, and there will be a drop box for your messages.

We will collect the messages, "scrap journal" them, and at family gatherings over the coming years, we will read a few to Mom.

There is a block of rooms reserved under Marla's name at the Country Inn in Benson for both Friday night and Saturday night for those that wish to stay and socialize one or both nights.