Dolores Mauree Marzen, 89, was called home to Heaven on Tuesday March 19, 2024 at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center. Her six children and husband of 70 years were there to comfort her. She was a resident of Kentucky Ridge in Mason City, but lived the majority of her life on a farm near Dougherty, Iowa.
Dolores was born August 15, 1934 in Longmont, Colorado, the only child of Dorothy and Clifford "Bud" Spiller. As a teenager following her father's death started her faithful journey of having a strong Catholic faith.
She has been known to secretly tell her granddaughters a dream when she was younger to live in New York City, become an actress,and own 100 pairs of shoes. This plan changed when she met a handsome farmer, Gerald Marzen, on a trip to Iowa visiting family in 1950.They were married March 22, 1954 in Yuma, Arizona. It was not easy for Dolores adjusting from a city girl to farm wife but she adjusted well by learning to drive the tractor, learning to help with harvest, learning about cows and pigs, and mowing the lawn. She also never missed cooking a meal for her husband while taking care of six children.
Also helping with adjusting to a small town she was involved in many community and Catholic Church activities including President of American Legion Auxiliary for Years, Catholic DRE, teaching CCD, Lay Ministry, and was ordained a Franciscan Sister in November of 2018. Dolores also liked helping the ladies putting on the annual turkey dinner and won awards selling the most poppies with her church friends.
During her favorite season, summer, she loved golfing, garage sales, swimming and anything being outdoors. Delores especially enjoyed planning her annual family vacations, while motivating her children while walking beans. She enjoyed annual trips to Florida to the beach, reading and doing crossword puzzles. Delores was always in attendance at her children's sporting events and was a passionate Green Bay Packers and Iowa Hawkeye fan. She loved her family, and never missed an opportunity to tell a complete stranger about them.
In the most recent years until her health declined she had taken up a swimming class faithfully with a group of ladies three times a week and then having coffee there after, being proud to be part of the group "the Golden Mermaids".
Those left to cherish memory are her husband Gerald Marzen; her six children, Dennis (Sally) Marzen, Veronica "Vicki" Labianca, Michael (Connie) Marzen, Anthony "Tony" (Char) Marzen, Michelle Deverell, and Scott (Tawnya) Marzen. She was loved by her 15 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren with two more on the way. Dolores is preceded in death by her parents, stepfather, August "Stan" Carter; grandson, Drew Marzen, and by many aunts, uncles and cousins.
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Hello mom!
To my dear mom. You are so missed by all of us. It just doesn’t real you are gone. We have been joining together as a family. I think you’d be proud. Love and miss you mom. Give dad a hug for us
Grandma
Grandma came to celebrate my birthday at Texas Roadhouse
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