Mariana Rita Goodwin

WALKER, Minn. - Mariana Rita Goodwin died at the May Creek Senior Living Campus on Dec. 18, 2016. Mariana was born Aug. 28, 1934 to Clarence and Sadie (Meyer) Elsenpeter in Chicago, Ill. She grew up in Walker, attended Walker schools and graduated from Stonebrook Hall in Duluth, in June of 1952. She graduated from the College of St. Scholastica Duluth in May of 1966. She pursued studies in history at Wake Forest University and the University of Connecticut. Mariana entered the Benedictine Convent in 1953; she had teaching assignments in Grand Rapids, Minn., Minneapolis, Minn., and in Phoenix. In 1973, she joined the Cloquet school system and taught in the high school until she retired. Upon retirement, she moved to Ten Mile Lake in Hackensack, Minn., until 2005. At that time, she moved to Sun City. The summer of 2015, Mariana moved back to Walker, and resided at May Creek Assisted Living Center until her death. She had married an old classmate, Ned Goodwin from Bemidji in 1995. They were married for 13 years and lived at Ten Mile Lake and Sun City. Ned preceded Mariana in death in 2008. Mariana is survived by her brother, John (Vicki) Elsenpeter; their five children, Susan, Mike, David, Karen and John Paul; and 13 great-nieces and nephews. A private funeral Mass was held Friday, Dec. 23, 2015 at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Walker, Minn. Arrangements were by Dennis Funeral Home of Walker, Minn.