Marlene Dorich

Marlene Ann Dorich, age 84, of Stockton, IL passed away Sunday, August 21, 2022. She was born April 15, 1938 in Chicago, IL to the late Harvey and Hilda (Kruger) Bailey.

Marlene had a vibrant career at the Village of Bridgeview. She started out in the Water Department, then moved on to the Public Works and then she was the Manager of the Golf Sports Dome.  She was a member of the Active party, a Precinct captain and was always helping people with food, shelter, caring for animals and present in her children’s life. She would decorate the Village Hall with flowers and was known as the “flower fairy”.

Marlene met the love of her life while at the Golf Sports Dome; Gerald Dorich. He would bring her candy and flowers, but she would tell him I cannot eat that. Well, he finally asked her to go out on Saint Patrick’s Day to Bourbon Street and she said yes.  They were engaged within a year and married October 13, 2007. Marlene retired and moved out to Stockton, IL to start their lives together.  They golfed, lunched, took rides in his mini cooper, went to Indy Car races and took in stray cats. They were very happy. They would socialize with all their friends that lived in Galena. Jerry was a romantic and would always write her beautiful letters.

She loved shopping, gardening, flowers, walking the beach, collecting egg beaters, and feeding stray cats.  She would always have her birds fed on her patio. She canned tomatoes and loved to cook. She would watch the Hallmark channel, Family Feud, Nascar, and all Sports. She loved puzzling, drawing and coloring. She was fun to have around and a social person who cared about people.

Marlene was great at keeping touch via text and the mail. She would send beautiful cards with great messages of inspiration and hope. She was a special woman who cared about her children, extended family, grandchildren and people in the neighborhood.

She will be greatly missed but her spirit lives on.

Marlene is survived by her sons, John Nelson and Ron Nelson, Jr.; her daughters, April (Jim) Giertych and Ann Marie (Ryan Zarzecki) Jonkman; her grandchildren, Jenny (Matt) Fawcett, Rachel (Scott) Greenawalt and Renae Giertych; her great grandson, Maddox Fawcett; her sister, Elsie (Jim) Jerozal; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and her three brothers.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Christ Lutheran Church in Stockton. There will be a visitation beginning at 9:00 a.m. Interment will take place at Ladies Union Cemetery in Stockton. A memorial fund has been established.