Marlene Way Reese

Marlene Way Reese June 9, 1936- January 12, 2011 Surrounded by her family, Marlene Way Reese, 74, of Port Matilda died at her home on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, of acute leukemia. She was born June 9, 1936, in Tyrone, the daughter of the late Herbert C. and Nellie (Bulick) Way. On May 18, 1956, in Stormstown she married Rodney D. Reese. Surviving are her husband; daughter, Wanda Guenot and husband, Ron Sr., of Pine Glen; two sons, Ron and wife, Jane, of Port Matilda, Ed and wife, Sue, of Zion; six grandchildren, Ron Guenot Jr. (Abbie), of Snow Shoe, Hunter Guenot (Rachel), of Pine Glen, Clayton Reese (Christie), of Fond DuLac, Wis., Jenelle Boyd (Jesse), of Montrose, Va., Erica Cowan (Brett), of Port Matilda, and Lynsey Reese, of Zion; and 10 great-grandchildren. She attended the Halfmoon Elementary schools and was a graduate of State College Area High School class of 1954. She then attended the Altoona School of Commerce. In 1955, she was employed at Penn State in the Department of General Extension. She left her job in 1957 to raise her family and help her husband with their family farm and milk business. After raising her family, she went to work for Keystone Food Services as an accountant. She then spent 18 years with the United States Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency from which she retired. Marlene was a member of the Halfmoon Grange #290 and the University Baptist and Brethren Church where she had many friends. In her youth, she was a 4-H member and later a 4-H leader. She was a member of the Centre County Farm Bureau of which she was a County Board member and also editor of the Centre County Farm Bureau newsletter. For eight years Marlene was a member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau's State Woman's Committee. She also served for eight years on the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau's State Board of Directors where she was on the executive committee and chairperson of the political action committee. She assisted with the PFB's Ag in the Classroom and Farm Safety Program. For many years she was an active participant in the Farm-City program. Memorial services will be held Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011, at 2 p.m. at the University Baptist and Brethren Church, 411 S. Burrows St., State College. Friends will be received at the Feller Memorial Home on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011, from 1-4 p.m. Burial will be at Port Matilda Presbyterian Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to Ag in the Classroom, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, P.O. Box 8736, Camp Hill, PA 17001, c/o Becky Freeman.