Marjorie "Marj" Mae Hood

Marjorie (Marj) Levitt Hood was born February 25, 1940 to Josephine (Jo) and John R. (Jack) Levitt in Rockwell,  IA.  She was the surprise baby, born 11 years after her next closest sister.

In 1942 the family moved to Rapid City, SD where Marj  spent her youth. In 1957 she married Kent Hood whom she met while he was stationed at Ellsworth AFB, and they moved to the Los Angeles area.  To that relationship were born three children: Kenneth, Matthew and Laura.  After their divorce in 1968 Marj and the children moved to Plymouth, MN  to be near family.

In 1966 she accepted Christ as her Savior during a Billy Graham Crusade on television.  That decision affected how she lived and raised her children and grandchildren. She made sure the family was in church every time the doors were open. She lived a godly life, as a wonderful example of a follower of Christ.  Her kids were her number 1 priority. For years she gave up her “me time” believing that her kids and her God were her priority, not herself.

Marj’s life revolved around her children and serving her Lord.  Over the years she sang in choirs and small groups and sang solos and duets with her daughter at church. She taught in children’s programs and was active in women’s ministries.

After raising her three kids she became a wonderful mother-in-law, but her favorite title was “Grandma.” Even more than being Mom she loved being Grandma.  At the time of her death she was Grandma to 33 perfect grandchildren and grandchildren-in-law and 37 perfect great-grandchildren (at last count).

Marj never graduated from high school but she was a very intelligent self-learner. One of her biggest accomplishments was graduating from Bible Institute at Parker’s Lake Baptist Church. In 1968 she began her career at Prudential Insurance, working in accounting and eventually  moving  up to writing health insurance benefit description books.  After taking  an early retirement she dabbled in retail then went to  work for Allstate Insurance as an agent, a position she held for years before moving back to Rapid City. She spent several years working for her son in his business before she finally retired. She spent her retirement years active in her church and loving on her grandchildren.

After decades of living in the Twin Cities, in 2001 Marj was able to move back to her Promised Land—the Black Hills of South Dakota—always home to her. She made a final move to Albert Lea, MN in 2019.

Marj was preceded in death by her parents; two siblings, Lindy Levitt  and Bernice (Bea) England; a son, Matthew Hood; and several infant grandchildren. She is survived by her sister, Maxine Fritzsche of Rapid City, SD; her son, Ken (Mary) Hood, Sr. of Albert Lea, MN; her daughter, Laura (Chris) Orr of Rapid City, SD; daughter-in-law, Becky Hood of St. Paul, MN; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

Funeral services will be held at Bonnerup Funeral Home  in Albert Lea on Friday, March  24. Visitation will be at 11:00 with a service following at 12:00.  Burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens following the service.

Finally home. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”.