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Marlys A. Ambur was born January 9, 1929 in Canton, SD to parents Arthur and Laura (Thorsby) Tysland. She passed away on December 9, 2016 at Bethesda Nursing Home in Beresford, SD at the age of 87 years and 11 months.

Marlys graduated from Canton High School and attended Augustana College. She then worked as a secretary in Sioux Falls. She married Willard Ambur in November of 1951. The couple last resided on a farm that was obtained and built in 1972. It was there where Willard passed away in October of 1978 and Marlys continued to operate the farm homestead with her son until age and the demands of daily farm life required her to move into Bethesda where she lived quite contentedly until the current time. The farm was a special place to her. It offered a wonderful destination to spend holidays and experience the joys of family for her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family members and all others who were fortunate enough to be welcomed there. Family bingo games and Easter egg hunts in the yard are only a few of the lasting memories that were created on the farm.  Marlys was baptized and confirmed at Canton Lutheran Church and later joined Skrefsrud Lutheran Church where she was active in Ladies Aid. She enjoyed tending her vegetable and flower gardens, canning, crossword puzzles and sewing. She was an avid Minnesota Twins fan and rarely missed a game on TV.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Willard and her daughter Pamela O'Reilly. Her survivors are her two children, Paula (Wayne) Gunderson, Baltic and Perry (Janet) Ambur, Beresford; 9 grandchildren, Jeremy (Kristin) O'Reilly, Brian O'Reilly, Brandon O'Reilly, Jared O'Reilly, Ben O'Reilly, Michelle (Justin) Whitehead, Kristin (Brian) Nedved, Bruce Gunderson and Ashley (Alex) Speer; 10 great grandchildren, Mazie, Tayten, Calvin, Mack, Hadley, Jack, Gage, Clay, Oliver and Sullivan; a son-in-law Geary O'Reilly; and many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM, Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at Skrefsrud Lutheran Church, rural Beresford, with burial at Forest Hill Cemetery, Canton, SD. Visitation will be Monday from 5PM to 7PM at Wass Funeral Home in Beresford.