Marianne Neis

Marianne was born June 28, 1946 to Gedeon Fogarassy and Franciska Von Hary at her grandparent’s home in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary. She passed away at her home in Tahlequah, OK on June 12, 2020, at the age of 73.

At age 10, Marianne and her mother were forced to flee from Hungary following that country’s failed revolt against its Russian occupation in 1956. They lived in a refugee camp for 9 months in Austria before immigrating to the United States in 1957. Marianne and her mother lived briefly in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania before moving to Anchorage, Alaska. Marianne grew up, met her first husband, and had each of her three children in Alaska. Her then family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, and that’s where she raised her children. She later moved to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area following a divorce from her first husband. John and Marianne Neis moved to Tahlequah, OK in 2006, and have resided here since that time.

Marianne graduated college with a degree in business. She managed a women’s clothing store and then served as a district manager for 3 jewelry stores in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. She was a very empathetic, warm, and loving person. Even complete strangers would talk to her about their personal problems.

Marianne was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness in Fort Worth, Texas on July 31, 1950. She remained a faithful servant of Jehovah God and our Lord Jesus Christ until her death. She loved participating as a volunteer minister in the preaching and bible education work conducted by the Jehovah’s Witness on a worldwide basis.

Marianne met the love of her life in 1992, and married John Neis, on June 10, 1994. They were married for 26 years at the time of her death.

Marianne was a very kind and loving mother. She loved spending time with her family members, reading the Bible and attending our Christian meetings, cooking, sewing, quilting, crocheting, and painting, etc. She was very artistic, and made many beautiful items for her family and friends.

Marianne was fluent in three languages; English, Hungarian, and Spanish, and also spoke some German and Italian.

Marianne loved to travel with her husband, John. Together, they traveled to Germany, Hungary, Austria, Canada, Mexico, and throughout much of the United States including Alaska.

Marianne was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, the Von Hary’s, a daughter and a granddaughter; by her mother, Frances Von Hary Orr, and by several aunts and other relatives.

Marianne is survived by her husband, John Neis of Tahlequah, and by her four beloved children and their spouses: her oldest son, Johnny Dean Alder, and his wife, Glenda of Princeton, Minnesota; her son James Edward Key and his wife Gwedolyn of Daingerfield, Texas; her daughter, Suzanne, and her husband Thomas Blackburn IV of Long Beach, Mississippi; and by her son, Robert John Neis and his wife, Erin, of Westfield, Indiana.

Marianne is also survived by her brother Pal Kalman and his wife, Ebé, of Nagykanizsa, Hungary, and their son, Attila and his wife and children; and by her cousin, Attila Bojarszky and his wife, Erné, and their son and his children in Lentz, Austria.

Marianne is also survived by the following grandchildren: Peyton Alder, Brandy Key and her husband Michael Crow, Justin Lindholm and Thomas V, Bruce, Alexis, Ava, and Finn Blackburn, and Carter, Cambrynn and Miabella Neis. She is also survived by two great grandchildren: Dante and Anna Key.

Marianne is also survived by her Brother-In-Law and Sister-In-Law, James and Bernadine “Bunny” Neis, and their daughter, Kim and her husband Greg Coates, and their children Rylee and Brelyn of Eastville, Virginia, and their daughter, Jennifer and husband Mike Mendrysa, and their children Emily and Ryan of Ashburn, Virginia. She is also survived by her Sister-in-Law, Jean Ann Burbach of Woodland Park, Colorado, and her son, Danny Low.

Due to the Covid-19 virus, no visitation service is being held. A private internet memorial service is being held for Marianne Neis with the members of her family and of the Tahlequah Congregation of Jehovah’s Witness on June 27th.