Marilyn Elaine Wicke

MARILYN ELAINE WICKE

Cedar Rapids

Marilyn Elaine Wicke, 89, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Marion, passed away on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, at Hiawatha Care Center in Hiawatha. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday,

Feb. 11, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service

in Marion. A memorial service will begin at 6 p.m. following the visitation, presided by Father Dennis Juhl. Burial: St. Patrick Cemetery in Fairfax.

Marilyn was born on Oct. 30, 1930, in Marion, Iowa. The daughter of George and Bernice (Klump) Bristol, she grew up in Marion and graduated from Marion High School in 1948. Marilyn worked for North Western Bell and Collins Radio as a telephone operator. She married Dale J. Wicke on Sept. 3, 1951. When they started their family, Marilyn became a stay-at-home mother and returned to work later as a bank teller. While in Marion, she and Dale were members of St. Joseph Catholic Church, and following retirement, moved to Cedar Rapids and attended St. Pius. Marilyn served as a volunteer at the Marion Public Library and Marion Food Bank. She and Dale enjoyed many trips to Hawaii, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Rome and Portugal. They loved to go dancing at the Armar Ballroom, Danceland and The Apartment Lounge. Marilyn could often be found with a crossword puzzle or book in her hands. She loved being a mother to her four children and found joy in spoiling her grandchildren. She and Dale were role models in their years of love and devotion to one another. Marilyn never met a stranger. She loved knowing people on a first name basis and was friendly and kind to all she met. We will miss her unconditional love, phone calls to check in, and her quick wit. She was tiny but mighty.

She is survived by her husband, Dale of Cedar Rapids; daughter, Mary Ellen (John) Thompson of Janesville, Wis.; sons, David (Diane) Wicke of Denver, Colo., John (Eileen) Wicke of Stockton, Calif., and Tom (Ann) Wicke of Cedar Rapids; sisters, Mary Lou Struve and Judy Sirstens; 12 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and the fifth kid, Steve Morrow.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff at Hiawatha Care Center for all the compassionate care they gave to Marilyn.

Please share a memory of Marilyn at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.