Doris Marso

Doris Marso, 91, of Mitchell, SD, passed away on Monday, March 16, 2026, at Firesteel Healthcare Center in Mitchell, SD. 

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 20, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Mundwiler Funeral Home in Milbank with a wake service beginning at 2:00 p.m. Fr. Tom Hartman will officiate, and interment will follow at St. James Cemetery in Nassau, MN.

Doris Dorothy Marso was born on October 23, 1934, to Frank and Martha (Rademacher) Pillatzki in Appleton, MN. She grew up near Nassau, MN, where she was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic faith. Doris attended Marietta High School. When Doris was young, she often talked about helping on the family farm, including wire-tying hay bales on the baler.

Doris was united in marriage with Cecil Marso on October 25, 1952, in Madison, MN. After their marriage, Doris and Cecil lived near Gary, SD, and Andover, SD, until 1961, when they moved to a farm near Revillo, SD. While living on the farm, she helped with many of the daily tasks and was known for her creativity and hard work. Doris decorated cakes, made candles, sewed clothing, worked on many craft projects, baked bread, and loved spoiling her children and grandchildren with fresh caramel rolls when they came to visit. She sold Tupperware for eight years. Doris was a member of the VFW Auxiliary in Milbank and helped start the DAV Auxiliary Unit 19 in Milbank, where she was an Organized Life Member.

Due to a disability she had from birth, Doris spent many years in a wheelchair, but that never stopped her from taking on challenges or doing things for her family and friends. She was a strong-willed and determined woman. For the last 16 years of her life, she lived in a nursing home, where her quick wit was well known. The aides and nurses often said that if Doris thought something, she would say it. Because of her good luck while playing Bingo and other games, she was affectionately nicknamed “Lucky” by those at the nursing home. Her family and friends honored her for the strength and determination she showed throughout her life while overcoming many challenges.

She is survived by her daughters: MaryAnn (Ken) Cordell of Milbank, SD; and Martha Huber of Ethan, SD; six grandchildren: Charity Sammons of Watertown, SD; Cris Cordell of Milbank, SD; Nicole (Josh) Heitzman of Parkston, SD; Jeremy (Taylor) Huber of Sioux Falls, SD; Anthony Huber of Denver, CO; Travis Huber of Sioux Falls, SD; great-grandchildren: Carmen (Nate) Waldron, Francisco Ortega, Luis Ortega, Tony Sammons, Isaac Cordell, Michael Cordell, Ava Huber, and Liam Cecil Huber; and great-great-granddaughter, Elyana Waldron.

She was preceded in death by her parents: Frank and Martha Pillatzki; her husband, Cecil Marso; three brothers: Raymond, Ervin and Wilbert Pillatzki; two nieces; and one nephew.