Marlene VanderBeek Obituary

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at Grace United Methodist Church in Paynesville for Marlene L. VanderBeek, age 85, of Paynesville, who passed away on Friday, August 1, 2025 at the Hilltop Care Center in Watkins. Reverend Ric Koehn will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Paynesville Cemetery in Paynesville. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Tuesday at Grace United Methodist Church in Paynesville.
Marlene Lillian, the youngest of five children, was born June 27, 1940 to Frederick and Lilly (Reins) Harding in Lake Lillian, MN. She graduated from Atwater Public School in 1958. Later that year, Marlene was united in marriage to the love of her life, Gerrit VanderBeek, on August 22 at First Lutheran Church in Lake Lillian. This union was blessed with five wonderful children.
Gerrit and Marlene farmed for many years south of Lake Koronis while raising their family. Later on Marlene held multiple retail jobs, but she is probably most remembered for her time in the sewing department at Ben Franklin. In her retirement years, she continued to help the community by cleaning area businesses.
Marlene enjoyed crafts and sewing, which was verified by her overflowing sewing room; evidently she was her own best customer at Ben Franklin. She loved her flowers and welcomed all birds to her feeders, except blue jays of course. Every year she canned vegetables out of Gerrit's garden to share, and was able to fill the house with family by announcing a pot of simmering garden soup. It wasn't until later in life that she found her true passion, bingo and penny slots. Marlene was also quite proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and always made time to attend their activities.
Marlene is survived by her children Diane (Mike) Keller of Paynesville, Carol (Mark) Spoden of Richmond, Jeffery (Susan) of Eden Valley, and Angela (Justin) Braun of Paynesville; 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Marlene is preceded in death by her parents and siblings; husband Gerrit; son Brian; and grandson Ryan Keller.