Marilyn Louise (Campbell) DODGEN

DODGEN, KING, CAMPBELL, DOUGHTY, COLWELL, KEETON, DEDECKER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:57

Marilyn Louise (Campbell) Dodgen
February 3, 1930 ---- July 28, 2016

Marilyn Louise Dodgen passed from this earth on Thursday, July 28, 2016. An informal, joyful celebration of her life will be held on Friday, August 12, at 10:00 a.m. at the Hardy Methodist Church on the Humboldt County Museum grounds, located east of Dakota City on the east branch of the Des Moines River, where the family will greet friends and shares their good times and memories of her life. The service will begin at 11:00 a.m., officiated by her son-in-law, Rev. Russell King, and a sandwich picnic lunch will be served following the service. The building is handicapped accessible.

Marilyn was born on Feb. 3, 1930, at home, during a blizzard, in the small town of Drakesville, IA. (also known as “duck town”) in southern Iowa, to the Mayor Jesse B. Campbell and his wife, M. Marie Doughty Campbell. She joined a sister, Lois Marie, and a brother, Roger Phillip. The family moved several times, due to the father being a Rock Island Railroad telegrapher and station agent. They moved to Manson in 1936. Marilyn graduated from Manson High School in 1948; worked at Sidmore and Thomas Drug Store and Ullman’s Dry Goods Store in her town home of Manson, and then moved into Fort Dodge, where she became a local telephone operator. She attended Tobin Business college and then became secretary to C. W. Dodgen at Dodgen and Company.

She married Jack Dodgen on June 3, 1951. To this union were born Bruce (Paula), of Clive; Barbara (Patrick) Colwell of Humboldt; Daniel (Eileen) of Fort Dodge; Michael Eugene (deceased), and Kristol (Russell) King, of Ness City, KS. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren are Michael (Amy) Colwell, and sons Christopher and Nicholas, Story City, IA; Joey (Tracy) and sons, Jason and Jacob, and stepdaughter, Megan, Virginia Beach, VA; Kyle (Danielle) King and son, Nathan, and daughter, Natalie, of Mission, KS; Julie (Wayne) Keeton and sons, David and Aaron, of Greensburg, KS.; and Ben (Elayna) King of Bonner Springs. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jack; infant son, Michael; her sister and brother-in-law, Lois and John DeDecker, and their son, Rick; wonderful in-laws, C. W. and Margaret Dodgen; and many other friends and relatives.

Marilyn was Assistant News Editor at the Humboldt Republican and Independent Newspaper at the time of Jack’s death from cancer in 1981. She was a charter member of the Castle Theatre, directed and acted (twice as Opal Kronkie) in several plays. She spent five summers as a volunteer at the American Baptist Assembly near Green Lake, WI. In 1983, she became Resident Hall Director at Martin Hall at Ottawa University in Ottawa, KS, where she remained for four years. The next four years were spent as a recruiter for the GED/English as a Second Language/ Laubach reading programs at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge. For more than 40 years, she has written features for the Humboldt Independent (always asking Jeff when she could retire and not receiving a firm answer).

She was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Fort Dodge, where Jack was choir director for over 25 years, and she taught Sunday School, served on several boards and directed the youth choir; the Humboldt Co. Historical Association, where she was a museum tour guide, a volunteer and a board member; was a Master Gardener; was selected Woman of the Year by the AAUW in 1982; received the Governor’s Award for Volunteerism in 1990; and was a recipient, along with Donnie Wind, of the President’s Spirit Award in 2006. Being an avid reader, her favorite
“hangout” was the Humboldt Public Library, where the staff took very good care of her.

Marilyn was a people person, enjoyed life and most of all she loved the Lord. At her request, she was cremated. Memorials may be given to the Humboldt County Historical Society, the Humboldt Public Library, or Unity Point Hospice, in care of Gunderson Funeral Home, 1615 North 15th St., Fort Dodge, IA. The family would like to express their sincere thanks to the staffs at Friendship Haven Catalyst, Unity Point Hospital and Hospice of Fort Dodge, and Humboldt Care Center South, for taking such good care of our mother, and to all of her wonderful friends for sending cards, calling and coming to visit her during her last days and supporting all of us through this difficult time.

https://www.gundersonfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Marilyn-Dodgen/#!/Obituary