Established on 11.08.2013 by Dr. Gunder Myran †
The Myran family would like Concordia students who receive scholarships from the Marliss Braaten Myran fund to know Marliss as a beautiful, warm, creative, artistic, engaging, optimistic, and active person who deeply loved her family, church, friends, and profession. Marliss and Gunder, her loving husband of 55 years, took special delight in their three boys and eight grandchildren. The highlight of each years was the two weeks the entire family was together at their Canadian Lakes, Michigan, lakeside home. Marliss had many interests, including music, sports, and art. As an artist (fabrics, quilting, and interior decorating), she won state and national awards. Marliss graduated from Concordia in 1955 with a major in home economics. She taught home economics in high schools in Minnesota, Iowa, New Year, and Michigan as she paralleled Gunder’s career as a community college executive. Along with her sister and brother, Ruth and David, she was a 4th generation Cobber. This includes her grandfather, Sven Braaten, who served on the Concordia governing board in the college’s early years. (In 2013, Nicole and Kailey Mills are the 5th generation Cobbers from the Braaten family.) Marliss loved Concordia throughout her lifetime. The “Round Robin” group of best friends from her class have maintained regular correspondence, and they held periodic get-togethers for more than 60 years. She especially loved the Concordia choir; Marliss and Gunder regularly attended choir concerts, and tears of joy would run down her cheeks when the choir sang “Beautiful Savior.”
Marliss and Gunder celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in June 2013. Gunder always said that when he first met Marliss it was “love at first sight”. At her 80th birthday “singalong” party, Gunder sang a Norwegian song he learned from his father that included the lines “Darling, we are growing old, silver threads among the gold, but my darling you will be, always young and fair to me.” Marliss loved sports; she was an excellent swimmer and became a good tennis player and golfer. She loved teaching home economics, and also enjoyed her part-time work in Ann Arbor as an interior decorator. Another great delight of her life was designing her “dream home” at Canadian Lakes. She established her studio in a room overlooking the lake and spent many happy hours creating works of art of extraordinary beauty and craftsmanship. She loved flowers and maintained a beautiful garden. Marliss expressed her deep faith in God through her family, her church, and service to others. She was one of the key planners and designers of the new church of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Big Rapids, Michigan. Marliss battled cancer for over two years with great courage and a tranquility arising from her abiding faith. Let us be grateful to people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom…Marcel Proust. Yes, that is how Marliss impacted the lives of her family and all who know her – she made our souls blossom. May God bless her memory. Soli Deo Gloria.
The Marliss Braaten Myran Endowed Scholarship in Music Education is awarded by the Financial Aid Committee. Selection is based on scholastic achievement and financial need.