Marian Theresa Pappenfus was born September 23, 1929 to Nickolas and Rose Bromenshenkel. Marian was born and raised in rural Stearns County, Minnesota, Southwest of Sauk Centre. Marian was the youngest of nine children born to Nick and Rose. Marian had six older brothers and two older sisters. Of these nine children, Marian was the only child Rose gave birth to in a hospital. The Bromenshenkel family farmed near Sauk Centre. The Bromenshenkel farms were modest and did not have electricity nor indoor plumbing.