GESME, Marilyn L. 1931-2019

GESME

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 6/14/2021 at 19:52:38

Marilyn L. Gesme, age 87 of Joice, Iowa, most recently a resident of Northwood Pines Assisted Living, died on Saturday, March 02, 2019 at Mercy One North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City.

A Celebration of Marilyn’s life was held at April 13, 2019 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 201 Franke Street, Joice, IA 50446, with Pastor Bill Peters officiating. Inurnment will be in the Salem Lutheran Cemetery in Lake Mills, Iowa.

Marilyn Lavene Gesme was born April 4, 1931, in Lake Mills, Iowa, the daughter of Lawrence and Margaret (Peterson) Moe. She was very proud to have graduated with the Lake Mills Class of 1949. She rarely missed a class reunion. She was united in marriage to Earl Gesme on June 18, 1950, at Asbury United Methodist Church, Lake Mills. She and Earl had two sons, Ron and Craig, on whom she lavished much love. In 1964, she went to work at Deluxe Products in Lake Mills as a secretary in the Human Resources Department. She really enjoyed helping people with their health and life insurance. People could count on Marilyn to do the right thing for them. She retired from Fleetguard in 1989 after twenty-five years. Earl and Marilyn enjoyed their retirement by traveling, playing golf and cards, and visiting family. That enjoyment was all too brief as Earl died from a heart attack in 1995.

Marilyn’s sister, Delores, was also a widow, and the two of them became Best Buds. They went south for the winters for many years. They loved to play Bridge, play golf, and talk together. Marilyn’s youngest sister, Marcia, was like a daughter to Marilyn. She totally enjoyed being with Marcia. Marilyn looked forward to Marcia and her husband, Jim’s visits and playing the card game, Shanghai.

Marilyn was very active in Bethany Lutheran Church with teaching Sunday School and Church Circle. She was honored to be the first woman to join Bethany Church Council. Her faith was very important to her, and she led her life as a true Christian. She always said nice things to people and never anything negative about anybody. She believed in the Golden Rule.

Marilyn’s hobbies included sewing, golfing, and going to Senior Citizens, talking (a lot), being with family and friends, traveling, and playing cards (especially Bridge). She was proud to be Life Master in Duplicate Bridge. She loved putting jigsaw puzzles together. She made many quilts and scrapbooks for her sons and other relatives. Marilyn was always on the go. Her Buick Century had 240,000 miles on it when she sold it. That’s a lot of trips to card games, church lunches, and lutefisk suppers in North Iowa.

Northwood Pines Assisted Living is where Marilyn spent the last fifteen months of her life. Susan Nelson, her staff, and Marilyn’s neighbors meant a lot to her. She really like the new friendships she found there, and participated in most of the wonderful social activities available.

Marilyn is survived by two sons, Ron and wife, Bev Crum-Gesme, Decorah, Iowa; and Craig and wife Barb Gesme, Des Moines, Iowa; two grandsons, Shaun and Paul; sister Marcia (Jim) Latham, Clear Lake, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, whom she loved dearly; brother-in-law, Dean (Ann) Gesme, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and brother-in-law, Jim (Dorothy) Gesme, Hayfield, Minnesota.

She was preceded in death by her husband Earl, her parents, step-father Lynn Streeter, sister Delores Bloomingdale and brother-in-law Ron Bloomingdale.