Obituary of Marlene Wilhelm

DOB 01/26/1944 DOD 06/28/2025 Written and provided by family. Marlene Jean Wilhelm passed away peacefully on June 28, 2025, in her home, surrounded by her loving family. Marlene was born in 1944 in Lusk, Wyoming, to Gertrude and Marlin Gorley. Sadly, her father Marlin passed when Marlene was just a little girl. But life had more chapters in store. Gertrude later married Les Brooks, who not only became a father figure to Marlene but also adopted her as his own. They settled in Torrington, Wyoming, where the family grew. Marlene was the oldest of ten kids. Marlene met the love of her life in Don Wilhelm at Torrington High School. They married in 1960 and started their journey together. Marlene became a full-time homemaker, raising their two boys, James and Jeff, while Don turned wrenches as a mechanic at Calhoun’s Garage. In 1967, they packed up and moved to Othello, Washington, to be closer to Don’s family. Five years later, their daughter Deborah completed the family. Raising her children and creating a home was always her first job. However, Marlene also worked outside the home over the years. Some may remember her from the Quality Inn, delivering newspapers, or doing yardwork, but it was McCain Foods where she really found her niche, working in the raw lab testing potatoes. And if you ever made the mistake of asking her about potatoes, you’d better have had time to spare. She could tell you more about spud quality than you ever thought there was to know, and she’d do it with a twinkle in her eye and a story or two to go with it. Marlene had a stubborn streak. She had her opinions, and she stuck to them. But that same stubbornness made her loyal, steady, and unwavering in her love for family. She had a knack for recalling details, sharing memories, and telling good stories. She had a passion for gardening, especially her roses, which were the pride of her yard. She also loved to crochet, spending hours with yarn in her lap and an old movie on the TV. Her hands stayed busy until arthritis slowed her down, but the blankets she made were treasured gifts. She was an avid reader and a faithful member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Marlene was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 57 years, Don Wilhelm, as well as her siblings Leslie, Mary, and Joe. She leaves behind a legacy of love and laughter in her children: James, Jeff and his wife Elizabeth, and Deborah Wilhelm Ruppert. She is also survived by her siblings: Gretchen, Ellie, Yvonne, Julia, Bill, and Greg, along with her grandchildren: Zach Wilhelm and his wife Jackie, Maranda Taylor and her husband Erik, Lydia, Julie, and Kaitlyn Ruppert. Marlene was blessed with four great-grandchildren: Aaliyah, Ethan, and Sydney Wilhelm, and Sophie Taylor. In addition, she had many nieces and nephews she loved and enjoyed. Marlene was many things: A wife, a mother, a sister, a grandmother, a gardener, a storyteller, a friend, and a force to be reckoned with. But above all, she loved deeply, and she was deeply loved. And she will be profoundly missed. In lieu of flowers please donate to the American Cancer Society.