Marlene Joy Wilhelmina Vagts Hollander

HOLLANDER, VAGTS, DICKMANN, BELDING, CHRISTENSEN, PRIVETT, DANIEL, BERKLICH, DOORENBOS, MILLER

Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 1/29/2024 at 07:58:31

MARLENE JOY WILHELMINA VAGTS HOLLANDER

Marlene was born March 10, 1936 in Boyden, Iowa to Erma Katherine (Dickmann) and William
Martin Vagts. The house in which she was born later became the town library; fitting, perhaps,
because Marlene has always loved books. Marlene was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith.

Marlene attended Boyden Public School from kindergarten (then called primary) through 12th
grade. She graduated in 1954 as the class valedictorian. Following graduation, she attended
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She then taught grades 5 through 8 at St John
Lutheran Christian Day School, rural Boyden, for one year.

September 8, 1956, Marlene married Gerald William Hollander in St. John Church. They moved to Ames, Iowa, where she worked as a typist while Gerald finished his college education. While he served in the military, they lived in El Paso, Texas and in the Chicago, Illinois, area. Gerald’s
work as an engineer took them to Shenandoah, Fairfield, Spencer and Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Then in 1970 they moved to Mason City, Iowa. In Mason City, Marlene worked 12 years as a preschool teacher, 4 years as a General Equivalency Diploma instructor, and, from 1986-1997 worked as a Vocational Specialist with Job Training Partnership at the local community college.
Her work there combined both social
work and education. She also did public speaking and workshops.

In 1982, Marlene realized a long-time dream when she graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa. She was the class speaker at her graduation.

Marlene has always been very active in the church. She was president of the St Paul’s Church
Council (Mason City) and member of the NE Iowa Synod Council and board of Directors of LSI
(Lutheran Services of Iowa). She taught confirmation classes as well as Sunday School for
many years. She was an adventurer and loved traveling in many of the 48 states with her family
and later with Gerald throughout the world. She also loved the simplicity of nature and the
outdoors. They spent time appreciating wildflowers, and birds, and have covered many trails.

She was a master seamstress and sewed many beautiful clothes for her children, grandchildren
and great grandchildren. In her later years she was involved with putting many quilts together at
Zion for Lutheran World Relief.

Marlene and Gerald have two children; Elizabeth “Beth” Belding and William “Bill” Hollander (Wife - Sara Christensen) and five beloved sisters; Marian Privett, Marie Daniel, Bonnie Berklich (Nick), Beverly Doorenbos, and Peggy Vagts (Mark Miller). They also shared their home with Gerald’s niece Pam the first six months of her life (Gerald’s sister was ill), two foster daughters, Karla and Brenda, and an international daughter (Anne from Finland), and two other young women who had need of a temporary home. Marlene and Gerald have 6 grandchildren; Luke, Hans, Ana, Andrew, Emily and Annie; five great grandchildren; Adie, August, Axel, Roan and Benjamin. (and one more due in April); and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Marlene was special to everyone she met, especially to her husband Gerald of 67 years.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Zion Lutheran Church.

Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
 

Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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