Marlen passed away Monday evening, April 8, 2024, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont, Minn. Lakeview Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.

Marlen Eugene Bents was born Jan. 1, 1932, in Fraser Township, Martin County, Minn., the son of Jurgen and Helen (Smith) Bents. Marlen attended grade school at St. Paul Lutheran School before later graduating from Ceylon High School in 1950.

On Feb. 8, 1952, Marlen was inducted into the U.S. Army where he served as an artilleryman with Headquarters Battery, 513th AAA Gun Battalion. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal before earning his honorable discharge on Feb. 7, 1954.

On April 24, 1955, Marlen was united in marriage to June Milow at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Ceylon. This union was blessed with three children, Greg, Tom and Deb. Marlen and June would have celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary on April 24, 2024. The couple resided in Fairmont where Marlen worked at the Martin County National Bank for 10 years. In 1965, Marlen began working at the State Bank of Ceylon and commuted between Fairmont and Ceylon for the first 2 years. In 1967, Marlen and his family moved to Ceylon after their Fairmont home sold. In 1998 the Bents family purchased the State Bank of Ceylon from Jack Vollrath and retained ownership until they sold it in 2019. Marlen grew up on a farm. His passion for farming never went away. In 1975 he purchased some farmland. He operated it for many years before retiring. He also spent many hours helping his son Tom farm. Marlen and June also had an income tax practice which they ran out of the bank and did income taxes for local residents for many years.

Marlen was a member at Our Saviors Lutheran Church for many years and served on the church council in various positions. His strong Christian faith was very important to him and could be seen by the way he lived his life. Marlen was also a member of the Nassen-Detert American Legion Post 529 until it combined with the Welcome American Legion Post 553. He was also a member of the Ceylon Business Owner’s Club, the Ceylon Historical Society, the Martin County Bankers Association, served on the Ceylon City Council and also belonged to two National car clubs. Marlen and June spent many summers traveling the country competing at the National Level car club shows with his 1931 Chevy 5-window coupe with a rumble seat that he had restored. He won many trophies and awards. He also enjoyed cruising with June in his 1965 Chevy convertible antiquing and collecting Ceylon artifacts. They could also be found traveling with their fellow car club member friends.

Left to cherish his memory include his wife, June Bents of Ceylon, Minn.; children, Gregory Bents of Ceylon, Minn., Thomas (Lori) Bents of Ceylon, Minn. and Debra (Jeff) Eversman of Fairmont, Minn.; grandchildren, Clair Bents, Amanda (Joe) McFarland, Abby (Doug) Roderick, Zachery Eversman, Alyson (Jacob) Levig and Nicholas Eversman; great-grandchildren, Emma, Maxson, Miles and Maverick McFarland, Cecilia and Harrison Roderick, and Leanna Levig; sister, Beverly (Tom) Sime of Fairmont, Minn.; brothers-in-law, Robert (Rosa) Milow of Fairmont and William (Linda) Milow of Mankato, Minn.; many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Along with his parents, Jurgen and Helen Bents, Marlen was preceded in death by his parents-in-law, Walter and Laura Milow; and brother-in-law, Norman Stromberg. www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

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