Marty Trence, age 58 of Prior Lake, passed away on June 29, 2014. The visitation is Wednesday, July 2, 2014 from 4:30 – 7:30PM at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, Prior Lake. The Celebration of Life Service is Thursday, July 3, 2014 at 3:00 PM with visitation one hour prior at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, Prior Lake.
It was a beautiful day in St. Paul on August, 19, 1955 when Fredis and Aina (Straupmanis) Trence celebrated the birth of their son, Martin Sigurds Trence. Marty was the baby of the family, and he loved tagging along with his siblings, Dace and Peter. Marty grew up in St. Anthony Park and attended Murray High School where he met one of his closest and life-long friends, Arnie Kwong.
After high school, Marty attended the University of Minnesota where he studied electrical engineering. He eventually earned his BSEE and PE. Marty moved to Indiana for a few years and got a job working for Northern Indiana Public Service Company. He enjoyed this time, but moved back to Minnesota in the early 80’s. Marty began working for NSP which eventually became Xcel Energy. He spent the next 30 years working as a project manager overseeing plans for elaborate power systems.
Marty loved his life, but still hadn’t found the right person to share it with. One of Marty’s friends invited him to a party with the intentions of setting him up. Marty agreed to go, but the set-up didn’t work out. Instead he met a beautiful young woman named Alison Foster, who turned out to be the love of his life. Alison was very social and Marty was more the intellectual type, but they complimented each other perfectly. Marty and Alison’s love grew, and they were married on August 27, 1988.
Soon after their wedding, Marty and Alison began building their dream home on Prior Lake. This was truly a project of the heart for Marty. He designed and built the home himself. This is where they raised their two children, Marija and Nathan. As a family, they went on frequent camping trips. Marty bought a pop-up camper with the intention of running it until the wheels fell off, and he nearly did. The Trence family was on the road nearly every weekend. They took the pop-up to New York, Canada, the Black Hills and on lots of spontaneous trips throughout the years.
One of Marty’s biggest passions in life was his work. It was his determination and vision that made him so successful. Marty’s job allowed him to spend a lot of time on the road, which he loved. He traveled to North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin regularly. Marty was respected both professionally and personally by all of his coworkers. He treated everyone with kindness regardless of their position. He had a way of encouraging and inspiring others to meet their full potential.
Marty was the ultimate handy-man. There wasn’t a problem he couldn’t solve or an item he couldn’t fix. Marty loved a challenge. He’d do the Star Tribune crossword puzzle every morning. Marty loved Legos and especially enjoyed putting sets together with Nathan. Marty had an adventurous spirit; he loved to travel and explore new places.
Family was the most important thing in Marty’s life, and he was always doing special things for those closest to him. Marty was known to all as a kind and generous man who put everyone else’s needs before his own.
Marty Trence passed away the afternoon of Sunday, June 29, 2014 at the Little Hospice in Edina. He was reunited with his beloved wife, Alison. Marty will be deeply missed and remembered always by his children; Marija Trence and Nathan Trence; sister, Dace (Claude Benavides) Trence; brother, Peter (Barbara Rousseau) Trence; nieces, Elizabeth Beckius and Laura Trence; other loving relatives and friends. Marty is preceded in death by his wife, Alison; parents, Fredis and Aina; special four-legged friend, Clifford.
Memorials are preferred and will be donated in Marty’s honor to some of his favorite charities.
Funeral arrangements by Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, Prior Lake, MN.
