Marlene "Toot" (Kutz) Czaja

Marlene S. “Toot” Czaja, 59, of Auburn, Indiana, passed away Tuesday, February 14, 2017, at Parkview Hospital Randallia in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Memorial service was held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, February 24, 2017 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Highmore. Burial followed at the Highmore Cemetery.  Visitation began at 10:00 a.m. at the church.

Toot was born February 7, 1958, in Miller, South Dakota, to Victor John and Arlene (Christensen) Kutz. Toot was a graduate of Highmore High School in 1976 at Highmore, South Dakota. After graduation she attended National College of Business in Rapid City, South Dakota.  While living in Rapid City she met Lawrence Czaja.  They were married on August 16, 1980, in the Chapel of the Hills Church in Rapid City, South Dakota. To this union two children were born, Marcy Janeen and Alex Jason.

In Toot’s younger years she spent as much of her time with Carl, Herbert, Kate, Bertha (Berdie) and Thelma Christensen as she could. Toot enjoyed spending time with them, both on the farm and when they moved to town. Spending time with her children and grandchildren was an important part of her life.  Toot enjoyed attending Emily’s softball games and was proud of Nicholas’s accomplishments in the Cyber Patriots Program. Toot looked forward to her annual trip back to Highmore to see her family.

Toot worked for 30 years at Artistic Carton in Auburn and considered the people she worked with part of her family. She loved animals, especially her dog, Norma Jean, and two cats, Captain Kirk and Spock.

Toot is survived by her daughter, Marcy (Brent) Boger, Auburn, Indiana; son, Alex Czaja of Garrett, Indiana; two grandchildren: Nicholas Yoder and Emily Boger; six siblings: Janice (Tom) Birdsall of Port Charlotte, Florida, Robert (Dianne) Kutz of Sioux Falls, Roger (Carolyn) Kutz of Highmore, Timothy (Valerie) Kutz of Venice, Florida, David (Linda) Kutz of Spearfish, and Lisa (Steve) Nielson of Blair, Nebraska; and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Toot was preceded in death by her parents, Victor John and Arlene Kutz; step-father, Harold Kutz; grandparents, Otto and Ruth Kutz, and Victor and Ruth Christensen.

Luze Funeral Home of Highmore has been entrusted with Marlene’s arrangements.