Verle Marienau

Verle Arthur Marienau, 83, of Hawarden, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2016. He had been a resident at Hudson Health Care and Rehab, where the staff loved and cared for him for a year and a half.

Funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 18, 2016 at the Trinity Lutheran Church LCMS in Hawarden with Rev. Todd Bunge officiating. Burial will follow in the Grace Hill Cemetery. Visitation with the family will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunday. The Porter Funeral Home in Hawarden is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent to www.porterfuneralhomes.com

Verle was the youngest child of Henry and Alvina (Schmedhans) Marienau, born on April 8, 1933 in Akron, Iowa. He grew up in Ireton, Iowa and graduated from the Hawarden High school in 1951. He married Mary Jager on June 21, 1953 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawarden, where they lived for the first few years of their married life. Hawarden was always home, although they lived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Akron, Iowa while Verle worked for Fuller Brush as a traveling salesman and supervisor. Verle also worked as a grocery manager, car salesman, hospital administrator, civil defense director, zoning commissioner and emergency services coordinator. Many rural families in Sioux County are safer due to his diligence in instituting the enhanced 911 system and making sure everyone had an address by which ambulance and fire services could find them in their time of need. As you drive along the country roads in Sioux County, you can see his handiwork at each corner where street names are indicated, as well as the blue numerical signs for every residence, all named and numbered by Verle.

Verle was a founding member of the South Pit Recreation Club, a charter member of the Hawarden Jaycees, and a member of the Hawarden City Council. He served Trinity Lutheran Church as Congregational President, Vice President, Elder and Trustee. Verle was instrumental in the establishment of emergency management services in Sioux County. He taught EMS planning to other Directors for the State of Iowa, he served as a representative for the Iowa Emergency Management Directors Association on the Iowa Association of counties Board of Directors for 11 years. He was President of the Iowa State Emergency Management Directors Association, one of the founders and then President for two years of the Sioux Lakes EMS Association, and President of the Tri-State Civil Preparedness Association which included counties in South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota.

In what spare time Verle had, he enjoyed golfing, fishing, woodworking and spending time with all of his grandkids.

Verle is survived by his loving wife Mary, and five kids, Valerie (David) Wilson, Linda (Rick) Schipper, Sharon (Jerry) Wakeman, Mark (Lethia) Marienau and Susan (Seth) Sharpe. Thirteen grandchildren, Shanna, Brian, Nate, Seth, Chris, Sam, Katie, Steven, Willa, Shania, Kelcie, Rachel and Henry, and six great-grandchildren, Marley, Clover, Sophie, Olive, Oscar and Ian. He was also blessed with two step-grandchildren and five great step grandchildren.

Verle was preceded in death by his parents, Mary’s parents, his brothers and sister as well as many of Mary’s siblings.

Verle blessed many families with his beautiful tenor voice and the constant whistle. He will be remembered for that, as well as his quick wit, jovial mood and his ability to be a friend to anyone and everyone. He will be missed by many.

Visitation

6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. ,Sunday, April 17, 2016
Trinity Lutheran Church
1103 Central Avenue Hawarden, Iowa 51023

Prayer Service

7:00 p.m. ,Sunday, April 17, 2016
Trinity Lutheran Church
1103 Central Avenue Hawarden, Iowa 51023

Funeral Service

10:30 a.m. ,Monday, April 18, 2016
Trinity Lutheran Church
1103 Central Avenue Hawarden, Iowa 51023