Marilyn Verona Wanish

Marilyn V. Wanish, age 90, a resident of Manitowoc, WI. Passed away on Sunday, October 1, 2023.
Marilyn was born on January 13, 1933, in the town of Eaton-Collins, WI. She was the daughter of Clarence and Mabel Schroeder Holdorf. Upon graduating from Manitowoc Lincoln High School in 1950, she married the love of her life, George Wanish, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Kellnersville, WI.
Marilyn was employed at Paragon Electric, in Two Rivers from 1965 to 1970. After her husband George was elected Sheriff of Manitowoc County in 1971, she worked the next 8 years for the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department. During that time, she made all of the meals for the prisoners, helped transport prisoners, was a matron for female prisoners, and she started an in-house rehabilitation program for the prisoners. From 1979 thru 1984, Marilyn worked 6 years at Holy Family Hospital as a CNA Psychiatric Tech and 1 year in Oncology. In 1984, Marilyn went to work at Michigan Shores as a CNA until St. Mary's Nursing Home bought Michigan Shores and offered her a job in their Medical Records department. In 1996, Marilyn was made Head of the Medical Records Department until she retired in 1998. One day after her retirement, Marilyn took over making the funeral dinners at Holy Innocents for the next 10 years. She was a very active member of Holy Innocents/ St. Francis Assisi Catholic Church and the St. Clare Society as a Greeter, and spearheaded the church cookbook. Marilyn and George loved hosting foreign students from local colleges as an English Second Language host family, particularly a Vietnamese student at Silver Lake College named Hong (Honey). In 2017, George and Marilyn moved to the Felician Village Court due to ailing health concerns. While there, Marilyn loved decorating her hallway with a different theme every month for all of the residents and staff members to enjoy. Marilyn was also instrumental in seeing that whoever needed a prayer shawl got one. Marilyn loved to read, make crafts for others to enjoy, and spending time with her family. Her greatest joy was her mission work of spreading kindness to everyone she met. Her favorite parting words to old and new acquaintances was always..."Love you more" and she truly meant it.
Marilyn is survived by her 4 daughters: Debra Kluba, Virginia (Bruce) Kraak, Tamara (Dr. David) Deubler, and Jacque Wanish-Milski; Seven Grand-children: Heath Kluba, Elizabeth (Brandon) Best, Christopher (Jaime) Kraak, Allison (Mike) Baumgartner, Melyssa (Erik) Van Der Stuyf, Abbie (Brian) Densing, and Alyssa Milski. Ten Great-Grandchildren: Ryan Kluba, Rachel (Matthew) Coleman, Magnolia and Poppy Best, Jaxson and Wren Kraak, Charley and Frankey Baumgartner and Asher and Maverick Van Der Stuyf. Also surviving are a brother-in-law: Dan (Dottie) Wanish and sister-in-law Veronica Rabas. Marilyn is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews, devoted friend Janice Streckert and "adopted grandchildren": Hong, Daisy, Emma, Sayaka, Jesse and Seneca.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George Wanish; her parents, Clarence and Mabel Schroeder Holdorf; her sister, Audrey Krahn; brother- in-laws: Don Rabas, Victor Wanish: and John Wanish; sister-in-laws: Rita Tisler and Florence Reedy; and son-in-law: Steve Kluba.
Memorials can be made to Lakeshore Humane Society, the Felician Village Court, Lutheran High School, the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Dept. K-9 unit, or Sharon Richardson Hospice.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the entire staff at the Felician Village Court, especially to Melissa, Jeremy, Michele, Holly, Ellen, Mary, Sam, Carrie, Rosemary, Sam, Tammy, Terry and Karwyn for their incredible compassion and loving care of our mom over the past 6 years. She loved them all dearly and thought of all of them as a part of her family. The family would also like to extend their gratitude to Sharon Richardson Hospice for their loving care and compassion to our entire family, especially to Terry, Joe, Rachel, and Stephanie.
Mom, grandma, grandma Cookie, Grandma Marilyn, Marilyn....We love you more.... but we know that you loved all of us first.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. on Friday, October 6, 2023 at the Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home with the Reverend Richard Klingeisen officiating. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Manitowoc. Following the committal services at Evergreen Cemetery there will be a luncheon held at the Harrigan Parkside Gathering Center located on the south property of the funeral home. Visitation will be at Harrigan Funeral Home on Friday, from 9 a.m. until the time of services at 11 a.m.
Online condolences to the family may be sent to www.harriganparksidefuneralhome.com
The Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home and Crematory, North 11th and St. Clair streets, Manitowoc, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
To view a recording of Marilyn's funeral service, please click the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY8MHLwXumM
To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of
Marilyn Verona Wanish, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.