Marsnik, Alice Nadine Chamberlain, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend, died at home November, 30, 2021. In her last weeks, she expressed that her greatest wish was to spend the end of her life surrounded by her beloved children, grandchildren, friends, and family.
Nadine was born September 5, 1931, the third of five children born to Ellard (Pike) and Alice (nee Johnson) Chamberlain in Clontarf, Minnesota. Nadine was an exceptional student who devoted her life to education. She graduated from Benson High School as co-salutatorian with her lifelong best friend, with whom she attended the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul. She was the first in her family to earn a college degree, graduating with honors and Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her Masters of Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1974 and in 1985 completed all of her coursework for a PhD from the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota.
She began her teaching career in 1953 at Foley High School where she met the love of her life, George Marsnik, the new math teacher. They were married August 14, 1954 at St. Malachy’s Church in Clontarf, Minnesota. They lived in St. Cloud, MN and Lawrence, KS before moving to Ely in 1961 with a young family of four. By 1967, their family of six children was complete. Nadine was a beloved member of the local community. She was active in St. Anthony Catholic Church, the AAUW, and local theater productions. She became a driving force in Ely’s American Cancer Society. As a cancer survivor, she devoted herself to helping others. She was the first non-medical person to teach in the local branch of the American Cancer Society’s I Can Cope Group and for years chaired the local Relay for Life with George. Their competing teams (Nadine’s Night Crawlers and George’s Bouja Bunch) raised thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society.
In the 1960s, Nadine was invited to teach as an adjunct at what was then Ely Junior College and eventually became a fulltime member of the teaching faculty at Vermillion Community College where she taught writing, literature, communication, and listening. She loved her career and became an important teacher and mentor to generations of students. In addition, she was a founding member of the International Listening Association (ILA), becoming a pioneer in this new field of communication. She won many ILA awards, including the Special Recognition Award and the ILA Hall of Fame. The book she co-authored, Perceptive Listening (published in two editions) remains a seminal work in the field.
In 2001, Nadine and George moved to Crystal, MN to be closer to medical care, children, and grandchildren. In the Twin Cities, Nadine became an active member of the Church of St. Margaret Mary in Golden Valley serving in various capacities including the Council for Mission and Ministry, on the Adult Faith Formation Committee, the Funeral Committee, and as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister. She volunteered the North Memorial Home Hospice as a leader for the grief support group and as a care provider for families. At Parkside Acres, her townhome association, she served on the social committee and helped found the neighborhood book club. She loved travelling, both domestically and internationally, and treasured her adventures with her children and grandchildren.
She is survived by four daughters: Anne, Susan, Catherine (David Reid), and Sara Erickson; two sons: Peter (Patty Becker Marsnik), and Adam Kauwenberg-Marsnik (Rudolf “Ruud” Kauwenberg-Marsnik); eight beloved grandchildren: Sam Mauser, Elizabeth Kramer (Quinn Kramer), Jacob and Becca Marsnik, Rachel Thunde (Sam Thunde), and Emily, Madeline, and Isabel Erickson. Preceded in death by parents Ellard Chamberlain, Sr. and Alice Chamberlain; siblings Bea Leis, Ellard Chamberlain, Jr., Marlene “Molly” Hanson, and Deann Johnson; and beloved husband George Marsnik.
Mass of Christian Burial at the Church of St. Margaret Mary, (2323 Zenith Ave N. Golden Valley) Wednesday, December 8 at 11 am. The Community of St. Margaret Mary asks that visitors and guests wear masks or face coverings during the mass and visitation. The funeral mass will be live streamed for people who do not wish to join in person.
Visitation December 7th from 5 - 8 pm at Gearty-Delmore Robbinsdale Chapel (3888 W Broadway Ave) and one hour prior to mass. Interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to PRISM (Golden Valley, MN), Second Harvest Heartland, or the Poor Clares Monastery (Sauk Rapids, MN).