Marilyn Brutsman

Marilyn Brutsman passed away on February 8th at Essentia Health - Saint Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd. She was born on May 5th, 1938, in Miami, Arizona to Alfred and Gladys (Koch) Gaede. She came from a family that worked in public service. Her late brother, Wendell, had a long career in the military, and her late father, Alfred, worked for various government agencies in numerous positions. This had her family moving to different cities and states throughout her youth. After high school, she enrolled at Northern State Teacher’s College; there she met her future husband, musician Jay Brutsman.

Marilyn and Jay married in 1958. They moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where Marilyn became a homemaker as Jay worked as a musician in Cheyenne lounges and hotels. Marilyn and Jay had three children and years later moved to Minnesota; first to Detroit Lakes and then to Brainerd, where Jay entertained at clubs such as LaGuyal, Blue Goose and Cragun’s. Through those years, along with her homemaking, Marilyn volunteered her time for her Woman’s Guild at Saint Francis Church. She was also an avid bowler, an excellent chef and a lover of cats and other animals.

Months after their 60th wedding anniversary, Jay passed away in 2018. Marilyn is survived by children Pamela (Randy) Maasch, Joseph (Avra) Brutsman and Laura Busch, as well as seven grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, brother, husband and infant son.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Francis Church in Brainerd. Family and friends are invited to gather for one hour prior to Mass. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery. Arrangements with Nelson-Doran Funeral Home.