Marilyn Olsen

 Marilyn M. (Beenken) Olsen, 71, of Clarion was called home by the Lord on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at her home surrounded by family and friends.

Visitation for Marilyn Olsen will be held Monday, November 28, 2022, from 4:00-7:30 pm at Andrews Funeral Home in Belmond. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, November 29th at 10:30am at Clarion First United Methodist Church with an additional one-hour visitation prior to funeral services.

Marilyn Marie Beenken was born September 18, 1951, in Fort Dodge, Iowa to Donald Junior Beenken and Marie Cidney Williams.  She was raised in Clarion, Iowa where she attended the Clarion School system and graduated in 1969.

On March 7, 1970, Marilyn married Karl M. Olsen and they were married 52+ years. They made their home in Clarion where they raised their two sons.

While raising her own children, Marilyn ran a daycare out of her home caring for countless children of all ages.  She later attended Iowa Central Community College which is where she found her real calling in the nursing field.  Marilyn treated every patient with great compassion and made them feel like they were her number one priority.  Patients would repeatedly walk up to her years after their hospital encounter and thank her for challenging them to stretch their limits to help them return to a normal life.

Calling Marilyn an avid bargain hunter is a bit of an understatement.  Her “Black Friday” outings were the “stuff of legend”.  While most people might walk out of a store with one or two crock pots, Marilyn was known to depart the store with eight or nine.  Numerous times people would mention they would need something as a gift for a wedding or baby shower and there was a good chance Marilyn had one sitting in the trunk of her car.  It was rumored that QVC and the Home Shopping Network(HSN) were on speed dial on her phone, but some of life’s mysteries are better left unknown.

As COVID restrictions affected our lives the last two years, Marilyn had to retire to safely care for Karl.  If life decided to hand her lemons, Marilyn was going to make lemonade.  This life change enabled her to combine her enormous compassion for her friends and family with her “shopping prowess” and provide grocery shopping for others, helping provide sustenance while keeping them safe. 

Marilyn is survived by her husband Karl; children Brent & Lisa Olsen of Waukee, IA; Chad & Deana Olsen of Conroe, TX; Grandchildren Lexi, Lincoln, Landry, Lawson, Ethan, Jase, Christian and Evelyn;  brothers Robert and David Beenken; and other numerous family members and friends.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents Donald and Marie Beenken and brother Dennis Beenken.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the American Cancer Society in memory of Marilyn.