Marilyn Weidner

Marilyn H. Weidner age 72, of Minnetonka, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 27 surrounded by her loving family. Preceded in death by her parents, Grace and Fred Hoscheit and her brother, Winston “Tex” Hoscheit. Survived by her loving and devoted husband of 53 years, Ray, and their four children, Mick, Sharry, Lyn and Wendy. Also by her eight grandchildren whom she loved so much and of whom she was so proud, Justin, Jenna, Nate, Emily, Kristen, Lily, Conrad, and Julia; her daughter-in-law, Rachel and son-in-law, Howard; her sister, Phyllis and brother-in-law, Earl. Marilyn was a gift to all who knew her. She was a light that touched each of us. And that light will continue to shine through us even though she is gone. We are better for having known her. Marilyn loved life and lived it to the fullest. Born on the prairie near Butte, Nebraska in 1930, she led a happy and carefree existence, the youngest of three children. Her family moved to Bonesteel, South Dakota, where she met and married her husband, Ray. Their marriage, which lasted 53 years, was the very center of her life. She and Ray were devoted to each other and their years together were rich, filled with love and laughter. They weathered the hard times, rejoiced in the good times, and through it all remained steadfast. Together they built the foundation of a strong family of which Marilyn was the cornerstone. She created a nurturing home filled with joy. She encouraged her children to be individuals and to pursue their dreams. She was a loving and supportive mother and was always there when her children needed her. Marilyn was blessed with eight grandchildren whom she loved incredibly and who, in turn, thought the world of her. She made each one feel unique and important and made it a point to be at every concert, recital, or special event that she could get to. Many people will remember Marilyn as the secretary of Gatewood Elementary School where she worked for 25 years. She was a real dynamic force at the school and was often the first contact anyone would have when going there. She will be remembered for her warm smile and the uncanny way she could put new parents and pupils at ease; make them feel welcome and that everything would be all right in their new school. Marilyn had a gift with children - she patched many a knee, wiped away many a tear, conjured up many giggles, and most of all, gave away thousands of dollars in lunch money over the years to kids who had forgotten or just didn’t have enough. She never forgot a face and was often approached by 20-year-olds in the grocery store who remembered something special she had done for them at Gatewood. Even though she retired nearly 10 years ago, she remained close to the Gatewood community and is dearly loved by them. Marilyn had a strong faith that helped her to endure her long journey with cancer. She was very involved in Cursillo and found real joy in all of her activities with the organization. She forged deep friendships with so many people and loved her weekend retreats where she was equally happy being in charge or working in the kitchen. It was the fellowship Marilyn loved and she was a natural when it came to sharing her solid beliefs with others. She felt a deep commitment to the Cursillo community and they feel one to her, in their love and support for her family. Marilyn was an enthusiast about so many things. She loved to travel. She and Ray travelled to many countries through the years together and she liked nothing better than the thrill of experiencing a new place for the first time. She loved to cross-stitch, and each grandchild is the proud owner of their own Marilyn creation. She loved to read, to sit in the sun, to have coffee with friends, and to share a good story. Marilyn had a talent for making the little moments in life important. What we will all remember about Marilyn was her quick wit and her readiness to laugh. She was a good friend. She had an amazing capacity to make each individual feel unique, important, and loved. She was an optimist and faced her battle with cancer with fierce courage, incredible grace - and humor. Through it all, she never complained, was always more concerned about “how everyone else was doing,” and was always ready with a quick one-liner to bring tears of laughter instead of sorrow. We feel blessed to have had her in our lives. We will miss her terribly; but it was Marilyn who taught us to love life, to have hope, and to look to the future. And we will do that in her honor. Memorials to The Marilyn Weidner Student Support Fund c/o Gatewood Elementary, Via de Cristo, and All Saints Foundation. Service Monday, 4 pm at All Saints Lutheran Church, 15915 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka. Interment Lakewood Cemetery. Visitation 1 hour prior to service at church and also Sunday, 3-7 pm at: Washburn-McReavy Strobeck Johnson Chapel

Tributes

Marilyn Weidner

March 2, 2003

Tributes

Marilyn Weidner

March 2, 2003

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