Marlys Elaine (Geerdes) Wilsey

Marlys E. Wilsey, age 85, of Thornton, Colorado, passed away peacefully on August 20, 2026, surrounded by the unwavering love and devotion of her family. After a life filled with love, faith, and cherished memories, she was lovingly welcomed home into the presence of her Heavenly Father. And while her passing leaves an immeasurable emptiness in the hearts of those who loved her, we find comfort in knowing that she is now in the loving arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ.

Marlys was born on January 9, 1941, to Arthur Donald Geerdes and Fern Arlene (Bush) Geerdes in their picturesque farmhouse on their family farm near George, Iowa. As the couple’s firstborn, Marlys grew up working alongside her father in the fields and could often be found behind the wheel of a tractor, learning the meaning of hard work from an early age. Alongside her mother, she tended the family garden and helped with the many responsibilities of running a busy household. She willingly assisted with household chores and lovingly helped care for her younger siblings, developing a strong sense of responsibility and devotion to family that would remain with her throughout her life.

Marlys began her education in a rural one-room schoolhouse near her home, where she attended from kindergarten through eighth grade. She then continued her education in the town of George at George High School, graduating in 1959, after completing grades nine through twelve. It was during her high school years that Marlys met and fell in love with her high school sweetheart, Richard Lee Wilsey. Richard, then a sophomore, began courting Marlys during her freshman year, and what began as a young romance would grow into a lifelong love and partnership. Together, they enjoyed school dances, evenings roller-skating and cruising around town, dates at the local drive-in, and fun-filled and often lighthearted times spent with classmates, friends, and family. These were treasured days filled with laughter, friendship, and memories that would become a cherished chapter in the beautiful life they would share.

In 1958, following his high school graduation, Richard enlisted in the United States Army, while Marlys still had one year remaining in high school. For the next two years, their young love would be tested by distance and separation. Richard spent his first couple of months in training (both in Colorado and California) before being sent to Korea, where he would serve for two years. Though oceans and thousands of miles lay between them, Marlys found a way to remain close to her sweetheart. She wrote a letter to Richard every single day throughout his time away, with the exception of only three days. Nearly 800 letters carried her love, thoughts, encouragement, and devotion across the miles to the young man who had captured her heart. Those letters became a daily thread connecting two young sweethearts as they waited and dreamed of the day they would once again be together. Her unwavering devotion during those years was a beautiful reflection of the love and commitment that would define their life together.

When Richard finally returned home, the young couple’s long-awaited reunion marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. On November 18, 1960, Marlys and Richard were united in marriage at the Lyon County First Presbyterian Church in George, Iowa, beginning a lifelong journey together that would span nearly 66 years. What began as a high school romance had endured years apart and the challenges of distance- and had grown into a love that would become the foundation of their family and their beautiful life with one another.

Together, Marlys and Richard began their married life in George and shortly thereafter moved to Red Wing, Minnesota, where they welcomed their first child, a son, Jeff, in 1962. Two years later, in 1964, another son, James, was born, bringing even more joy to their growing family. As planned, their family continued to grow after they moved to Brookings, South Dakota, where their daughter, Michele, was born in 1968, completing the family they had dreamed of building together.

From the early years of raising her children through the many seasons that followed, Marlys embraced the joys, responsibilities, and everyday moments of family life. After leaving Brookings and moving to Alta, Iowa, in 1970, Marlys and Richard became active church members at the Alta Presbyterian Church and their faith remained an important cornerstone of their marriage and family life. This faith and their shared disciplines helped guide the way they raised their children and remained a source of strength throughout the years ahead.

For Marlys, being a wife and mother was not simply a role she filled; it was a calling she embraced with her whole heart. She was a devoted homemaker and a deeply nurturing mother who poured herself into creating a loving, secure, and happy home for her family. With Richard’s career requiring him to travel and often keeping him away from home during the weekdays, much of the day-to-day responsibility of raising Jeff, James, and Michele fell upon Marlys. She carried that responsibility with great strength, courage, love, and true dedication, making sure her children were cared for, encouraged, comforted, and surrounded by the warmth of a mother who was always there for them. She was ever-present in their lives, attending school functions, sporting events, and the many activities in which her children participated. Whether cheering from the sidelines, showing her support at school, or simply being there for the everyday moments, Marlys made sure her children knew they were loved, supported, and never alone.

Marlys also found great joy in the simple, meaningful moments of life. She loved visiting with friends over coffee and cherishing the companionship, conversation, and laughter that came so naturally to her. She enjoyed needlepoint, reading, playing the piano, and gardening. These quiet pleasures reflected her thoughtful, creative nature and gave her opportunities to bring beauty, warmth, and care into the world around her.

Additionally, she had a love for travel and for making memories with her family. During Jeff, James, and Michele’s younger years, Marlys and the children would accompany Richard on his work trips during the summer months, allowing the family to explore much of the United States together. Although these trips were connected to Richard’s work, Marlys embraced each one as an opportunity to create a memorable and meaningful family vacation. She took great joy in exploring new places with her family, making each destination an opportunity for adventure, laughter, and learning together. For Marlys, these summers were about so much more than traveling—they were about making the most of the time they had together and creating special memories with the people she loved most. And those memories remained especially precious to her throughout her life.

As the years passed, the family continued to make new homes and begin new chapters, but wherever they lived, Marlys’ priority remained the same: her family.

From Alta, Iowa, the family eventually relocated to Luverne, Minnesota, where they lived for a year, before moving to Brandon, South Dakota, in 1981. There, Marlys remained immersed in her children’s lives while also working part-time in retail sales in nearby Sioux Falls. During those years, she welcomed her first grandchild- born to her oldest son, and proudly supported her two youngest children as they left home to attend colleges in Minnesota and Colorado. Then in 1987, Marlys and Richard moved from Brandon to Eden Prairie, Minnesota, where they resided for a short time.

In 1988, Richard and Marlys finally made a dream they had carried since early in their marriage a reality when they moved to Boulder, Colorado. They had visited Colorado soon after they were married and were captivated by its majestic mountains, beautiful scenery, and exceptional four-season weather. From that visit, they dreamed of one day making Colorado their home and enjoying all that the state had to offer together. When that cherished dream finally came true, it began yet another meaningful chapter in their lives, and Colorado would become home to Marlys—a place of peace and beauty, a sanctuary where she created a loving home and haven for her husband, family, and friends, filled with countless cherished memories that would remain with them forever.

While living in Colorado, Marlys worked full-time as a medical receptionist and administrative assistant, supporting a Boulder neurosurgeon as well as a general practitioner’s office in Denver. Her strong Midwest work ethic, warmth, and genuine compassion for others made her a natural fit for work that allowed her to welcome and interact with people each day. In the summer of 2007, however, Marlys suffered from congestive heart failure, requiring numerous stents and the placement of a pacemaker/defibrillator. During this same difficult period, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer and underwent surgery, followed by extensive and aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Although she fought courageously through these challenges, the treatments ultimately left her with permanent nerve damage and severe neuropathy, affecting her balance and mobility and making it difficult for her to drive safely or continue performing her work-related duties. Thus, in early 2008, Marlys needed to retire, leaving behind a career and colleagues she had grown to love and a workplace where her hard work, kindness, and genuine care for others had made a lasting difference.

Following her retirement, Marlys’ focus turned to maintaining the home she and Richard had shared for so many years and enjoying the additional leisure time she had at home. Yet even the simple things she had once loved were affected by the lasting effects of her illness. Her hands, which had once so beautifully created crafts, sewn, and embroidered, became a source of discomfort and pain. Her feet were similarly affected, and wearing her vast collection of shoes—so often admired and complimented—was no longer feasible or enjoyable. Despite these losses and the health complications that changed so much of her daily life, Marlys continued to find gratitude in the rich and blessed life she lived.

Overall, she found that her greatest fulfillment came from being Richard’s wife—loving him faithfully and respectfully throughout their marriage; being the mother of her three beloved children; and experiencing the countless blessings that came with being a revered mother-in-law, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Of all these blessings, being a grandmother and great-grandmother brought Marlys an especially deep and lasting joy. She treasured the many years she was blessed to share with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and took genuine pride in being present for the moments, milestones, and everyday experiences that mattered to them. Whether watching school programs in person or online, supporting their extracurricular activities, or cheering them on from the sidelines, the track, or the bleachers, Marlys was one of their most devoted and constant fans. In more recent years, the ice rink became a familiar and special place for her as she faithfully cheered on her two youngest grandsons as they played hockey. Altogether, she celebrated the accomplishments of each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, encouraged their passions, and simply delighted in watching them grow. Her presence, encouragement, and the love she so freely gave made each of them feel supported, celebrated, and deeply loved.

Marlys was preceded in death by her parents; her father-in-law, William P. Wilsey; and her brothers-in-law, Bill Lindgren and Carl Shelton.

Left to cherish her memory are her devoted husband of nearly 66 years, Richard “Dick” Wilsey; her children, Jeff (Kathy) Wilsey of Sioux Falls, SD, James (Joyce) Wilsey of Salem, VA, and Michele (Duane) Klomp of Thornton, CO; her beloved grandchildren, CJ (Jenny) Wilsey of Sioux Falls, SD, Cody Wilsey of Sioux Falls, SD, Jordan LaPorte of Romney, WV, Ryan (Leah) Iwanski of Thornton, CO, and Braden Klomp of Thornton, CO; and her precious great-grandchildren, Cash, Charlie, and Winnie Wilsey, Kynlee and Soren Wilsey, Jack, Jane, and Henry LaPorte, and Ronin Iwanski; her sister, Ruth Lindgren of Algona, IA; her brother, Daryle (Donna) Geerdes of Concord, CA; her sister-in-law, Carol Shelton of Cedar Falls, IA; and her extended family who will forever hold her close in their hearts.

In accordance with Marlys’ expressed wishes, no formal services will be held. She desired a quiet and private farewell, and her family is honoring that wish with love and gratitude. Those who knew and loved Marlys are invited to remember her not by a service, but through the many memories, laughter, love, and kindness she shared throughout her life.

For those who wish to share a card, note, or expression of love with the family, they may be sent to Howe Mortuary & Crematory, 439 Coffman Street, Longmont, CO 80501, or to the family at their home.

Marlys will be remembered for her quiet strength, her steady presence, her beautiful soul, and the love and kindness she generously gave to those around her. She cherished her family deeply and, together with Richard, created a home that was more than a place to live or gather—it was a place of belonging, comfort, and love, a place her family could always return to. That sense of home, and the never-ending ways she nurtured her loved ones within, will remain part of her family’s story for generations to come.

Now, Marlys has received a most glorious Homecoming in Heaven, where she is free from pain and suffering and embraced by eternal peace. Though she will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved her, her family finds comfort in knowing that she is Home and that, through faith, this is not goodbye, but a beautiful “until we meet again.”

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howemortuary.com with her loving family.