Marlene Brayko

Marlene Brayko
Date Of Birth: 10/28/1931
Date of Death: 12/15/2025

Marlene Wanner Brayko was born October 28, 1931 to Ralph and Beata Wanner. She grew up on a farm six miles northwest of Crosby, North Dakota. She attended Blooming Prairie School through 8th grade, the only student in her class. Marlene graduated from Crosby High School in 1950 and attended St. Scholastica College in Duluth, Minnesota, where she received a Bachelor's degree in Home Economics.

Her teaching career began in Scobey, Montana where she met a local Scobey boy, Donald Brayko. They were married June 28, 1955. Donald began his career in the lumber business in Scobey with Monarch Lumber. Marlene ended her teaching career so that the family could move more easily as Donald accepted various managerial assignments in Plentywood, Miles City, Great Falls, Butte, Bozeman and Billings.

Two children were born to this union, Beata and Damian. Marlene was of the Catholic faith and served as a religious education instructor in the various parishes the family moved to with each of Donald's assignments. While Marlene did not enjoy house hunting, packing and moving she managed it six times. Her true interests were sewing and cooking, and she was an incredible seamstress and wonderful cook.

Marlene was preceded in death by her parents Beata and Ralph Wanner, and her husband Donald who passed away on December 26, 2004. Marlene is survived by her daughter Beata (and husband Ray Hart), and her son Damian (and wife Yvonne), their three children Matthew, Andrea and Christopher, and also by her great-grandsons Jacob and Connor, sons of Matthew Brayko.