Marlene Helen (Wagner) Whalen, 82, of Rose Creek, Minnesota, died Saturday, April 28, 2018, at Field Crest Care Center in Hayfield, Minnesota.

Marlene was born Aug. 5, 1935, to Jacob and Amelia (Blonigan) Wagner in Austin, Minnesota. She was the youngest of five children. She attended grade school at Columbus School in Austin and Austin’s St. Augustine. She was a stay at home mom, raising 10 children. She worked at Sterling Drug for a time and Sacred Heart Nursing home in the kitchen. She was united in marriage to Oliver Whalen in January of 1969 in Rose Creek.

Marlene was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved to cook for her family and enjoyed having her family around her. She was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Rose Creek. She was an avid reader and enjoyed puzzles, going to the casino, coffee on Sundays at the Donut Connection and conversations with friends at the Morning Coffee Club at Hy-Vee. She loved her cappuccino from Caribou. She enjoyed traveling, family fishing trips, bird watching and shopping.

She is survived by her children; David (Dee) of Rose Creek, Larry (Marty) of Backus, Minnesota, Brian (Connie Brown-Caldwell) of Rose Creek, Rita (Tom) Hanegraaf of Rose Creek, Paula (Larry) Goslee of Austin, LuAnne (Larry) Rowe of Hayfield, Barbara (Phil) Wollenburg of Rochester, Minnesota, Barbara (Ed) Nystrom of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and Lisa (Robert) Welper of Clear Lake, Iowa; 24 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and sister-law, Sharon Wagner of Austin.

She was preceded in death by husband, Oliver; parents; son, Douglas; brother, Donald Wagner; and sisters, Gertrude Bellrichard, Winifred Gavin and Collette Neus.

A celebration of Marlene’s life will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 4, 2018, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Rose Creek. Friends may call from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday May 3, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church and one hour prior to the service on Friday at the church. Interment will be in St. Peter’s Cemetery. Condolences may be online at www.mayerfh.com.