Myrtle "Myrt" Bollenbacher

Myrtle (Myrt) Edith Bollenbacher, age 96, of Crosby joined her Lord and Savior on Sunday, September 15, 2019. She was born on November 28, 1922 at home in Mission Township to Rebecca Edith (Wynn) and Richard Warren Rider. She was the 7th of 12 children. 

She was first married to Darwin Charles Post and her second marriage was to John Martin Bollenbacher. 

Myrt worked at many jobs in the Crosby-Ironton area as a young woman. She moved to St. Cloud at age 18 and worked for Cargill building airplane parts during World War II. At the end of the war she married Darwin Post and moved to California to an Army Base. The two eventually moved back to the Cuyuna Iron Range Area. 

When Myrt married John Bollenbacher the two owned and operated the Y Club in Garrison. After retirement Myrt and John traveled the country, spending most of their time in Alaska and Canada. They loved gathering berries, hunting and fishing.

Myrt was an avid quilter; it is estimated she made well over a thousand quilts for loved ones and those in need. Her service also included starting Salem West Ministry with her good friend Bonnie Chistenson. In 2006 the two women were honored as Outstanding Volunteers of the Year for the Initiative Foundation. She was a member of Salem Lutheran Church in Deerwood, Rebecca Circle and the quilting group there. She was also a member of Deerwood Civic League.

Myrt is preceded in death by her parents, seven brothers: Ernest, Richard, Leo, Gilbert, Robert, Jewel, and Clarence Rider, 4 sisters: Edna Wolford, Lois Peterson, ViEtta Rude, and Esther Cook,  husbands Darwin Post and John Bollenbacher, Daughter Nancy Bollenbacher and Son John Bollenbacher Jr.

Myrt is survived by Daughters Glennda (Bob) Gussman of Hendersonville, NC; Judy (Jim) Christenson of Deerwood, MN; Margaret Bollenbacher of Rohnert Park, CA; Sons Dale (Jan) Post of Osseo, MN; Peter (Michelle) Bollenbacher of Chandler, AZ; 10 Grandchildren- Kristin, Phillip, Rebecca, Dana, Lettie, Jenna, Jenni, Jace, Hanna, Jessica; 18 Great Grandchildren- Johnathon, Kaitlyn, Benjamin, Landon, Kelsie, Drew, Kylie, Kaitlin, Lee, Logan, Amada, Charlotte, Silas, Braylon, Bennett, Miriam, Brooks and Lucy. 

Funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 22, 2019 at the Salem Lutheran Church in Deerwood. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Sunday.  Internment will be in Garrison Community Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Salem West or CRMC Hospice are preferred.  Arrangements are with the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby.

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