April 27, 1937 – December 5, 2021

Marleen Elaine (Sas) Walsh was born to Dan and Anna (Tinklenberg) Sas on April 27, 1937. She attended the First Christian Reformed Church in Leota, Minn., and graduated from Southwest Minnesota Christian High School in 1955.  Desiring to become a nurse, she attended the Blodgett Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Grand Rapids, Mich., graduating with an R.N. degree on September 9, 1959. After working as a nurse in the Luverne, Minn., hospital, she moved to Grand Rapids, Mich., to work at her alma mater, Blodgett Memorial Hospital, where she shared an apartment for many years with her friend, Neda Raterink.

It was in Michigan that she nearly lost her life when her VW bug rear-ended another vehicle.  Since her seat belt saved her life, she became a staunch advocate for seat belt use, impressing their importance upon all of her nieces and nephews, whom she treated like her own children.

Wanting to further her education, she embarked upon a Bachelor’s Degree and then a Master’s Degree program at Michigan State University, where she shared classes with such notables as Charles Aaron “Bubba” Smith, future defensive end for the Baltimore Colts and Oak-land Raiders. She became a life-long Spartans fan. Upon graduating from Michigan State in 1969, she received a certificate in Rehabilitation Counseling and worked as a Social Worker for many years with Bethany Christian Services. She impacted hundreds of lives. In 1987, Marleen got her realtor license and enjoyed being a realtor after her retirement from counseling.

On November 30, 1974, she married James B. Walsh and they moved to a house on the shore of Lake Michigan near Holland, Mich., with their pet toy poodles. They enjoyed many travels during their 25 years of marriage. He predeceased her.

Marleen became heavily involved at Central Wesleyan Church in Holland, Mich., attending worship services and joining Bible study groups. She also enjoyed gardening, especially caring for roses, and had a beautiful flower garden around her apartment.

With advancing age, she suffered some injuries and was compelled to reside in care facilities including at Rest Haven Care Center in Holland, Mich., where she died on December 5, 2021, at the age of 84 years, 7 months and 8 days. Her physical remains are to be interred at Hillside Cemetery in Edgerton, Minn., near those of her parents and other family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her three older brothers—Anthony, Wilbert and Harvey, and sisters-in-law, Genevieve Sas, Alice Sas, and Lavonne Sas.

She is survived by one sister-in-law, Harvey’s wife Gertrude, who resides in Edgerton, and many nieces and nephews throughout the U.S.A. who were blessed by knowing her, (including, but not least, because she introduced all of us to Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” when we were kids!):  Charlotte (Sas) and Rich Vanden Berg of Visalia, Calif.; Leravene Sas of Westminster, Colo.; Lugene and Karen Sas of Ft. Collins, Colo.; Delton and Kathy Sas of Denver, Colo.; Ruby (Sas) and Dave Lankford of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.; Reneta  (Sas) and Terry Stegehuis of Arvada, Colo.; Avis Sas of Kirkland, Wash.; Edith (Sas) and Mark Gonzalez of Anchorage, Alaska; Willis Sas of Kirkland, Wash.; Daryl and Jane Sas of Beaver Falls, Pa.; Gayle (Sas) and Duane Walhof of LeMars, Iowa, Mark Olson of Chanhassen, Minn., and Todd and Tina Olson of Park Rapids, Minn.

A graveside service is planned for Saturday, April 30, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., at the Hillside Cemetery in Edgerton. Alternate arrangements will be at the Colonial Funeral Home.