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Marlys Svendsen Obituary
Marlys was born on May 7, 1953, to Holger and Bertha Svendsen in Ceylon, Minnesota. She grew up with three siblings in Ceylon and in Armstrong, Iowa. She attended and graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where she was a campus leader for women's rights. Shortly after graduation, on June 28, 1975, she was married to Steven Thomas Roesler.
A noted historian, author, and historic preservationist, Marlys worked for both local and state governments in Iowa before starting her own consulting business, Svendsen Tyler, Inc., in 1988. She authored multiple books on history and architecture, including Davenport: A Pictorial History. During her long career, she worked on numerous projects across the Midwest and successfully nominated scores of residential neighborhoods and downtown areas for official recognition as historic districts, as well as taking major roles in historic preservation projects such as Brucemore in Cedar Rapids, Terrace Hill in Des Moines, Bishop's House Inn in Davenport, and multiple projects in Iowa City. She was later recruited by Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management and helped coordinate flood mitigation and other historic preservation assistance to communities after natural disasters. Marlys' focus was on buildings, but she believed that historic preservation was first and foremost about people.
In retirement, from the lake home she shared with Steve in northern Wisconsin, Marlys was an astute observer of all creatures great and small and a dedicated gardener. She loved the outdoors. She is survived by her husband Steven Roesler; Roger Svendsen (brother) and Anu Sharma; Donna (Svendsen) (sister) and Gary Bestmann; and Anita (Roesler) (sister-in-law) and Richard Veit. She was pre-deceased by her brother Dennis Svendsen and brother-in-law Lawrence Roesler. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the National Trust for Historic Preservation Midwest Regional Office in Chicago.
This beloved soul will be missed.
Memories and Condolences
for Marlys Svendsen
Sponsored by Kilcoyne Memorial Services - Rice Lake.
5 Entries
Robert Miklo
March 26, 2026
Marlys's work has had a lasting influence on the preservation movement in Iowa City. Marlys was hired by the Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission to write the city´s first Historic Preservation Plan in 1991. She also prepared several studies and National Register nominations for the city. These documents have helped guide the work of the Commission, and led to the creation of several historic districts and National Register of Historic Places listings. Marlys had away of convincing skeptics that preservation is good idea. As she wrote in the Preservation Plan "to conserve old buildings makes a good community better." There are several historic buildings that would have been torn down, but that remain standing today because of Marlys´s work. She will be dearly missed.
Judy McClure
March 26, 2026
A big loss to the planet and historic preservation as well as family and friends. Marlys was wonderful at what she did and very kindhearted as well. I am grateful to have worked with her and for her legacy. Condolences to her husband and family.
Peggy (McConnell) Peterson
March 25, 2026
I am so very sad to learn of Marlys's passing; she was an Armstrong friend and classmate of mine. Another great friend of mine, Debbie Olson, and I wanted so badly to connect with Marlys as we have thought about her so many times over the years and was hoping we could meet up with her at one of her speaking engagements when she was in Iowa but we never got to. We will always keep thinking of her and missing her. Our deepest sympathy to Steve and all of her loved ones.
Marion Meginnis
March 25, 2026
My deepest sympathies to Marlys' family. Davenport owes her a heavy debt of gratitude. In 2017, I researched and wrote a paper on how historic preservation came to Davenport. I spoke to many people who were within or touched the preservation universe in some way. I heard from more than one how well she engaged the public, officials, as well as the business community, as she created and managed what really became the city's preservation legacy. A remarkable achievement for one so young at the time, about 26 when she began! Her legacy will be a very long one.
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Bill + Wendy (Opsal) Oleson
March 25, 2026
Sympathy to Marlys´ family and friends. Memories of her-lived down street from us-she babysat for us-and church activities.
She was also a classmate of Bill.
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