Sigrid 'Monika' Marlin

SIGRID "MONIKA" MARLIN

Marion

Sigrid "Monika" Marlin,

70, of Marion, formerly of Heidelberg, Germany, passed away Saturday, July 14, 2018, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, because of complications from lupus. A parish vigil service will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 18, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Marion. Following the vigil service, the family will greet friends until 6 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 19, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Marion, conducted by the Rev. Mark Kwenin. Inurnment will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Known to most as Monika, she was born in Reihen, Germany, on Jan. 28, 1948, to parents Kurt Erich and Hedwig "Hedi" (Ctibor) Maag, and raised in Heidelberg, Germany, as an only child.

At the age of 18, she moved to Marion, Iowa, with William "Bill" Allen Jacobs. They were married on Sept. 24, 1966, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. A few years later, they had a son, William Allen Jacobs II. The family enjoyed camping, boating and snowmobiling, and shared many wonderful times at their cabin on Lake Delhi and with their many beloved pets.

Following a divorce, Monika was remarried to John Joseph Marlin Jr. on July 19, 1997. They enjoyed traveling, going on sea cruises and spending time on their boat on the Mississippi River with family and friends. Her beloved John preceded her in death in 2010. Prior to John's passing, they began sponsoring a young girl in India named Vinitha through Unbound. Monika had continued this sponsorship ever since and just this month she received a farewell letter saying that Vinitha has finished her nursing course and has a job in Bangalore.

Monika worked in food service at Vernon Middle School in Marion for 26 years, while also studying at Kirkwood Community College, where she eventually earned a degree and became a certified medical assistant. She then worked at Mercy Care North in Marion for 21 years until her retirement in January 2018.

Monika is survived by her devoted son, Allen Jacobs; grandsons, Jake and Garrett Jacobs; great-granddaughters, Xoey and Hailey; stepdaughters, Christina Meeker and Jo Ann Marlin; and stepgrandchildren, Kevin, Jacob and Chelsea Meeker. She also is survived by several cousins and an aunt and uncle in Germany, Lilli and Helmut Ctibor, with whom she was very close to; and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law who loved her very much.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Erich and Hedi; and her husband, John.

Monika was an amazing cook and even a better mother. She was an Angel loved by all who knew her and will forever be missed by those she left behind.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Monika's memory may be directed to a charity of the donor's choice.

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