Beatrice E. Martinson

Bea Martinson (née Beatrice Evangeline Awes), age 99, passed away in St. Peter, Minnesota, on March 9^th, 2023.  Bea was a 1941 graduate of Washburn High School in Minneapolis and a 1945 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Sociology. After their marriage in 1946, she and her husband Floyd moved to St. Peter, where Floyd took a position as professor of sociology at Gustavus Adolphus College. 

With young children at home, Bea enjoyed being a homemaker.  She especially enjoyed sewing, cooking, and entertaining.  Her Christmas parties with the troll village were a highlight of the season.  In the summers Bea loved to spend time with her extended family at Furuly (Norwegian for Shelter of the Pines), the Farm Island Lake property homesteaded by Bea’s grandparents.  Bea also enjoyed traveling and spending semesters abroad with Floyd and the children.  In 1957-58 they spent a year in New Orleans, where Bea worked for the Travelers Aid Society and Floyd pursued additional graduate studies at Tulane University. Other sabbatical semesters and research trips took them to Uppsala, Sweden, and Trondheim and Oslo, Norway.  Bea loved to write and receive letters. 

She made friends wherever they went and kept in touch through letters throughout the rest of her life.  In her 50’s, with most of the children grown, Bea began a 20-year career at the Bookmark at Gustavus, where she enjoyed mingling with the students and taking charge of ordering supplies.  Bea was especially fond of the college arboretum, where she took daily walks with friends and also served on the arboretum board.  Bea continued to enjoy hosting family, friends and neighbors at her home on Valley View Rd., especially on the screen porch when weather permitted, until the age of 95, when she moved to Ecumen Prairie Hill in St. Peter. 

Bea loved her family, cherished her friends, and welcomed visitors to her home, where they were always treated to fresh flowers on her table and something delicious to eat.  She will be dearly missed.  Bea is survived by her children John (Sara Fisher) of Galena IL, Anne (Tom) Utschig of Eau Claire WI, Stephen (Marci) of St. Paul MN, Peter (Erli) of Bozeman MT, and Sarah (Felix) Tornare of Carbondale CO; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; her sister Lewann (Otto) Sotnak; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband Floyd, her parents Leif and Astrid (Dahle) Awes, her sister Corinne, and a brother in infancy. 

A celebration of life will take place at Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Peter on Monday, May 15^th, with visitation at 10 AM and a service to follow at 11 AM.  Memorials can be sent to the Floyd M. Martinson Award at Gustavus Adolphus College. To leave a condolence or see an updated obituary visit www.saintpeterfuneralhome.com. 

Bea's family wishes to express thanks to the nurses and staff at Ecumen Prairie Hill and Ecumen Hospice for the excellent care provided to their mother over the past few years.