Marlene A. Bialek

Marlene A. Bialek (Nee Wisynski), our beloved Mom and Grandma, passed away peacefully as the sun was rising on the morning of March 8th , 2025. Marlene celebrated her 88th birthday surrounded and celebrated by her loving family on February 28th , just 8 days before she passed.

Marlene’s passing brings to a close her graceful and courageous 3-year fight against Metastatic Breast Cancer. Her strong will to live, quality care provided by Dr. Raza and his team, the love and prayers of her family and friends, and her unwavering faith in God, allowed her to fill those years with love, joy, and happy memories in the face of her cancer battle.

Marlene was born in 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to her parents Frank and Alice Wisynski. Frank and Alice’s only child, Marlene was the answer to their prayers. Marlene’s childhood was spent on Milwaukee’s south side in the neighborhood around 36th & Burnham, and at a cottage that her dad built on Booth Lake near East Troy.

Marlene graduated from Pulaski High School in 1955. After graduation, Marlene worked at Whyte Hirschboeck Law firm as a legal assistant where she met many of her life-long friends. Marlene attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and was one of only two women in the UW-Milwaukee class of 1968 to receive her Bachelor in Business Administration degree. Later in her career, Marlene worked for several transportation and logistics companies as a claims adjustor. 

Marlene met the love of her life Rudolph “Rudy” Bialek when she and her cousin Carol were out at one of Milwaukee’s south side dance halls one Saturday night in the early 1960’s. Marlene and Rudy were married on July 2nd , 1966, and were married for 37 years until Rudy’s death in 2003. After Rudy’s death, Marlene continued to live at Booth Lake until 2016.

Marlene’s family and friends were the greatest joy of her life. Marlene and Rudy were blessed with two daughters, and subsequently five grandchildren. Marlene loved to have her grandchildren at Booth Lake for boat rides, along with trips to Lauber’s for ice cream and candy and Gus’s Drive In for hamburgers and milkshakes. As her grandkids got older, Marlene could often be seen rooting on her grandchildren at the Muskego and Oregon sidelines, gymnasiums, and auditoriums while watching their games and concerts. At the card table, Marlene was a force to be reckoned with. She was an avid Sheepshead player and had a group of lifelong lady friends whom she loved to play with for many years. She introduced her five grandchildren and many of her friends at ProHealth Regency, where she lived since 2016, to the fun of Mexican Train Dominoes. When we started to notify Marlene’s many friends of her passing, we repeatedly heard the same thing – “she sure was a lot of fun.”

Beyond her family and friends, Marlene’s other interests included tending to her flowers, winter travels to Fountain Hills, AZ and cheering for Wisconsin sports – especially the Brewers and Packers. She also loved sneaking treats to her granddogs Lucy, Cosette, and Jasper.

Marlene is survived by two daughters: Brenda (Erik) Sande and Lynn (Brian) Leair; and five grandchildren: Anika and Karina Sande; and Andrew, Nick, and Maddy Leair. Marlene is also survived by beloved cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends. 

Marlene’s Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes (3722 S. 58th St Milwaukee 53220) at 11:00 AM on Saturday March 15th. Visitation will be held prior to the mass from 9:00 AM until 10:45 AM, also at Our Lady of Lourdes. Burial to follow the Mass at Mount Olivet Cemetery on 35th and Morgan. Memorials in Marlene's name would be appreciated to the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Coalition (www.wibreastcancer.org).