Marlene’s Obituary Marlene Faye (Dick) Pauls was born on September 4, 1935, to C. H. Dick and Marie (Gossen) Dick. When she was born, her sisters said that she needed a modern name. So her sisters named her Marlene.
She grew up on the farm with her brother Wesley and three sisters Linda, Orpa, and Margaret. Marlene went to Greenfield elementary school, where she rode a horse to school, and graduated high school from Corn Bible Academy. She put her faith in Christ as a youth, was baptized, and joined the Corn Mennonite Brethren Church.
Marlene taught Sunday School, sang in the Senior Singers and the ladies’ chorus, and helped as the church librarian. She started getting to know her future husband Edgar Pauls, through her friend Adeline Kliewer and Edgar’s cousin Henry Pauls. They were married on March 4, 1955.
Marlene shocked more than a few people by having a junior bride, Judi (Flaming) Harms, the first junior bride in the Corn church. After they were married, Edgar and Marlene moved to Denver for Edgar’s 1-W service. While there, Marlene worked in a telephone office and loved her job.
They returned to Corn after two years, where they lived on Marlene’s homeplace and began farming wheat and raising livestock. Edgar and Marlene had three children – Diane, Eileen, and Connie. She inspired her daughters with her strong Christian values, which influenced her grandchildrens’ lives as well.
Marlene had a strong work ethic. She started her career ironing clothes for the Corn Home for the Aged. Eventually, she became the head of the laundry department.
She considered her work a mission at the nursing home. She would work after-hours searching for people’s lost clothes. She worked diligently at the nursing home approximately 45 years.
Marlene also helped Edgar on the farm. During a day of harvest, she worked at the nursing home in the morning, cooked and brought lunch to the field, finished working at Corn Heritage Village in the afternoon, drove the wheat truck to the Coop, cooked and brought supper to the field, and finally drove one more load of wheat again. Marlene enjoyed gardening.
She grew potatoes, green beans, cucumbers, and peas. She then canned the green beans and pickled the cucumbers. Her family appreciated eating her canned dill and bread and butter pickles.
They also loved her fresh green bean soup. Marlene embroidered pillowcases and tea towels and quilted with her sisters. She cherished her phone calls with Adeline and loved playing games with her grandchildren.
Marlene was a dedicated caregiver to Edgar. When he needed to move into the nursing home, she planned to go in with him. They moved into CHV in early 2015.
She died on March 7, 2019. Marlene was preceded in death by her husband Edgar Pauls; her parents C. H. and Marie (Gossen) Dick; her brother Wesley and his wife Ruth Dick; her sister Margaret and her husband John Flaming; and three brothers-in-law: Dan Stobbe, Eddie Megert, and Alvin Epp. Marlene is survived by her two sisters: Linda Stobbe and Orpa Epp of Corn, Oklahoma; her three daughters: Diane and her husband Jonathan Peters of Corn, Oklahoma; Eileen and her husband Warren Kliewer of Weatherford, Oklahoma; Connie and her husband Duane Ratzlaff of Huntington Beach, California; her eight grandchildren: Jeffrey and wife Erin Peters of Arlington, Texas; Keith Peters of Edmond, Oklahoma; David Kliewer of Truckee, California; Kristin and husband Rayden Epp of Weatherford, Oklahoma; Lauren and husband Nicholas Coleman of Long Beach, California; Michael Ratzlaff of Ridgecrest, California; Joseph Ratzlaff of Huntington Beach, California; and Christina Ratzlaff of Huntington Beach, California; two great-grandchildren: Harrison and Charles Epp; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to Corn Bible Academy or Western Oklahoma Christian School.
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