Born June 2, 1930, in Fremont, Iowa, to John and Faira Abbott Thomson, Arlene was raised on a farm northwest of Hedrick, Iowa, the youngest in a family of four girls. She graduated from Hedrick High School in 1949 where she found her love for the piano and continued to play throughout her life. During her first marriage, Arlene left Iowa and had three sons, Jerry, Jim, and John. In 1968, she married the love of her life, Vic, in Washington state. In 1988, they moved to Arizona, her favorite of the seven states in which she had lived. Settling in the Phoenix area, they also raised her great-granddaughter for several years.
Arlene had an independent spirit and enjoyed learning and exploring. She liked working with her hands and had several jobs in manufacturing. After raising her children, she took many trips within the US and abroad with her husband and was often accompanied by her sisters and brothers-in-law. She also pursued passions such as painting and dancing. In her retirement, she enjoyed exercising with her husband at the gym, and she was an enthusiastic adopter of new technologies, such as the internet and smartphones.
In addition to her parents, Arlene was preceded in death by her sisters, Alice Mae (Corby/Dennis) Barron Groenendyk, Eddyth (Glenys) Rice, and Carol (Leonard) Messer. She is survived by her husband Victor Marska and her sons, Jerold (Susan) DeYoung, James (Linda) DeYoung, and John (Lydia) DeYoung, as well as 4 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Arlene Marska will be held on Thursday, June 27 at 10 AM at Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary.
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