Marilyn Mahoney

Marilyn K. Mahoney, 70, of rural Waukon, IA, died Thursday, May 6, 2021, at home. Memorial services will be held Thursday, May 13th, at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Lycurgus Cemetery in rural Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Wednesday at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a 3:30 PM scripture service. Social distancing and use of masks are encouraged.

Marilyn K. Mahoney was born January 17, 1951 in Waukon, IA, the daughter of James and LaVern (O'Donnell) Plein. Marilyn attended French Creek #1 School and in 1969 graduated from St. Patrick's High School in Waukon. She was a member of St. Mary's Lycurgus Catholic Church, St John the Baptist in rural West Ridge, and eventually St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. On February 13, 1971, Marilyn married Lyle Mahoney at St. Mary's Lycurgus. They began farming in West Ridge, where they raised their three children and maintained their farm since 1973.

Besides farming with Lyle, Marilyn maintained an active lifestyle by working several jobs in the Waukon and Decorah areas and instilling in her children the importance of education and love of reading. Marilyn loved being outside, German Shephard dogs, tending to her yard, going for walks, and the planting and caretaking of trees. Marilyn was a crossword puzzle enthusiast and loved playing cards with friends and games with her grandchildren. In her later years, Marilyn, as a member of St Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, sang in the Church choir.

Marilyn's generosity of spirit and kind-heartedness were often most evident when Marilyn baked cookies and shared hand-written letters. While Marilyn did not have an affinity for air travel herself, her cookies and correspondence traveled across the globe, to her children away at college, her grandchildren in Minnesota, to friends and relatives in Des Moines, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Chicago, Montana, and military service members abroad. There were no bounds to the kindness Marilyn shared in those letters and no limit to the number of people impacted by her thoughtfulness.

Marilyn is survived by her husband Lyle of rural Waukon; her three children: Shane (Jennifer) Mahoney of Ossian, IA, Shannon (Rob) Gronemann of Minneapolis, MN, and Matt (Katie) Mahoney of Mendota Heights, MN; granddaughters: Molly and Libby Mahoney and Hannah Thuente; special grandson Drew Richards; two brothers: Richard (Cecilia Regan) and Ralph (Marie) Plein; and two sisters: Diane Plein and Theresa (Neal) Wang.

She was preceded in death by her parents Jim and LaVern; brother Bernard Plein; and niece Amanda Plein.

Honorary urn bearers are Marilyn's nieces and nephews. Urn bearers are her children.