Marlene Ann Rupnow, loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, entered her eternal home in Heaven on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Marlene was the only child, born to Leona (Ostrom) and Merlin Gietzel on Dec. 9, 1941, in Beaver Dam, Wis. She graduated from Horicon High School in 1959 and married LeRoy Rupnow on June 10, 1961.

Marlene was an amazing woman who loved her family and friends. She loved to share time with each and every one of them. She was kind, loving and considerate to everyone she met. Her family and friends adored her fun-loving spirit and infectious laugh. She will be greatly missed by all that knew her.

It would be wrong to say that Marlene lost her courageous battle with heart, lung and kidney disease because she never stopped fighting. No matter how sick she was, she was always determined. When anyone else would have broken, Marlene stayed strong. Through her, we know what resilience and perseverance truly looks like.

Marlene is survived by her husband, LeRoy of Tomahawk; her children, Tim (Jane) of Appleton, Wis., Mike of Minneapolis, Minn., and Kelly Derby (John) of Jupiter, Fla.; grandchildren, Brian (Cassi), Zach, AJ (Calli), Jason, Tyler, and Hailey; great-grandchildren, Owen, Josie, Charlie and Chase; and stepbrother, Jerry Kreckow, Waupun, Wis.

She was preceded in death by her mother, father, stepmoms Lee and Ruth, and other relatives and friends.

A visitation will be held at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Redeemer Lutheran Church, Tomahawk, or American Hemochromatosis Society (www.Americanhs.org).