Marilue (Jenney) Toop

Marilue Toop, age 81 of Glenwood, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on February 27, 2020 after a short illness.  A memorial service to celebrate Marilue’s life is planned for Saturday, July 18, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. Visitation will begin at noon and run until the time of service. Inurnment will be in Glenwood Cemetery. Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home of Glenwood.

Marilue (Jenney) Toop, the daughter of Ralph and Ella (Bruins) Jenney, was born on March 1, 1938 in Morris, MN. She grew up in Morris and was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Morris. After graduating from Morris High School in 1956, Marilue attended and graduated from the Wapheton State School of Science Nursing program as an LPN. She lived in Minneapolis for a year, before moving back to Morris and working at the Morris Hospital for four years. She met Allen E. “Shorty” Toop at the Lakeside Ballroom in Glenwood in the summer of 1959. They were married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Hancock in January of 1960. After four years on the family farm in Hancock they moved to Glenwood. Shorty took a job with MN DOT and Marilue took care of the four kids while also ironing clothes for extra money for the family. A fifth child, Jean, was born in 1972. They joined Calvary Lutheran Church in Glenwood, where all five children were confirmed. Marilue also worked at the Glenwood VFW and the Gingerbread House Café. She belonged to the VFW Women’s Auxiliary, American Legion Women’s Auxiliary and the Ladies Circle Aide of Calvary Lutheran Church. Marilue and Shorty shared 45 years of marriage before his death on October 19, 2005.

Marilue was very active in high school activities, participating in typing, shorthand, the school paper, chorus, glee club, tumbling, cheerleading and baton twirling. She was named Most Athletic in her class and her Sr. Class Prophecy was to be the Director of the Phy Ed Dept. at UM-Morris. Marilue was an excellent baton twirler and could still twirl quite well into her later years. Vicki and Jean would love to watch her twirl for the granddaughters, and she kept her baton until she sold her home and moved to Ridgewood Villa.

Marilue’s hobbies included bingo, bowling, card playing, dancing and roller skating. She and Shorty were excellent dancers, and could even dance on roller skates. Marilue had a strong faith and participated in Bible Study at Calvary Lutheran while also reading scripture often at home.  Marilue was funny, kind, and caring. She had unconditional love and support for her family and friends. She loved playing cards with her family every chance she could. She enjoyed visiting with everyone, and after she retired from the Gingerbread House Café she cared for her neighbor, Helen Winter, until she needed more extended care in the nursing home. She continued to visit Helen there often until her passing. She enjoyed watching the Minnesota Twins and Vikings games on TV, and doing puzzles with her friends at Ridgewood Villa. Marilue was proud of her family heritage. Her sister, Betty, became interested in family history, researching the Jenney genealogy with roots in early Plymouth, Massachusetts at the Jenney Grist Mill, and shared all of this history with Marilue. Her sister-in-law, Marion (Toop) Ruplinger, researched the Toop side of the family extensively, and maintained the family tree.

Marilue died on February 27, 2020, at the Sanford Broadway Medical Center in Fargo, ND. She was two days shy of her 82nd birthday.  The family would like to thank the staff at Ridgewood Villa, especially Daryl and Shawn, for the excellent time she spent there.

Marilue is survived by her five children; Vicki (Dave) Molstre of Horace, ND, John of Minnetonka, Scott of Bloomington, Dan (Sandy) of Fargo, ND and Jean (Brian) Horn of Moorhead, MN; eight grandchildren; five great grandchildren; two sisters; Joyce Jenney of Hawaii, and Judy Olson of Arthur, ND; as well as nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Allen “Shorty”; two sisters, Betty Waage and Bonnie Marshall; and one brother, Noel Jenney.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.