Marcine D. Bendtsen, age 87, of Austin, died Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011 at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin.

Marcine was born June 9, 1924, in Wagner, S.D. to Ben and Anna (Reandeau) Bendtsen. She was the oldest of ten children.

Marcine attended rural elementary school until the family moved to Hayfield in 1936 and then to a farm near Rose Creek. She graduated from Hamilton School of Commerce in Mason City, Iowa in 1944. Her secretarial career began in Austin with the Capretz Agency, then with County Attorney A.C. Richardson and on to the Hormel Livestock Office. Marcine also attended DeVry University in Chicago and after graduating in broadcasting she accepted a script writers position in radio at Murfreesboro, Tenn. Next she purchased a home in St. Paul and was employed with Twin City Heating, Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor’s Association. She retired in 1986.

Marcine devoted her energies to her church, her home and her garden. She loved to travel and spent a whole summer hosteling through six countries in Europe and visiting relatives in Denmark. During her trips to Mexico, she was most impressed with the imprinted cloak of the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe. Marcine made her 42 nieces and nephews her family by attending most of their graduations, weddings and birthdays. She loved her two siamese cats, was an avid reader, a gourmet cook, enjoyed knitting, gardening, dancing, was a member of the curling club and Bible study. She was active in SPTE (Single Persons for Tax Equality) and served as state and national President of the organization.

When Marcine’s health began to deteriorate, she moved back to Austin to be near her family, residing at Our House Assisted Living and Memory Care.

Marcine was a loving sister who will be missed by her large family.

Survivors include five sisters: Roma Samuelson, Austin, Ramona Peters, Austin, Kay (Curtis) Lewison, Adams, Karen (Russell) Anderson, Rose Creek, Karol (Jack) Blink, Rochester; four brothers: Myles (Mary) Bendtsen, Rose Creek, Alan (Carole) Bendtsen, Madison, Wis., DeWaldon (Patricia) Bendtsen, Rochester, Gary (Barbara) Bendtsen, Rose Creek; many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Ben and Anna Bendtsen; one niece; one nephew; two brothers-in-law; two great nephews.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 28, 2011, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Rose Creek with Father Tom Loomis officiating. There will be a 3 p.m. wake service on Sunday at Mayer Funeral Home where friends may call from 3 to 5 p.m. and also one hour before the service at the church on Monday. Interment will be in Grandview Cemetery.