Marlys Olive Robley, age 85, of Barron, WI, formerly of Sabin, MN, passed away Friday, April 15, 2022, at Monroe Manor in Barron, WI.

Marlys was born December 26, 1936, in Pelican Rapids, MN, to Walfred and Martha (Damschen) Johnson.

She grew up and attended school in Pelican Rapids, graduating in 1954. On January 21, 1955, she married Ernest Robley in Pelican Rapids, MN at Zion Lutheran Church where she was baptized, confirmed, and married. Early in her career she worked for Equitable Life and the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Fargo and then took time off to raise their family. She then worked for 17 years in the Financial Aid Office at North Dakota State University and 20 years in the Student Affairs and Records Offices at Moorhead State University. She loved her career and enjoyed working with college students and exchange students from other countries. A civic-minded person, Marlys was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sabin and served for many years on the church council as the council secretary. She was a charter member of the Sabin Lioness and instrumental in lobbying to improve highway 52 between Sabin and Moorhead.

Marlys was a loving wife and devoted mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family and she was incredibly proud of her grandchildren. In addition, she enjoyed breakfast with friends, traveling, music, picking berries, the Minnesota Twins, and a good day shopping. Marlys will forever be remembered for her kind, compassionate, and charitable heart and her care and concern for those less fortunate than her. She faithfully visited shut-ins and those in nursing homes, and remembered and visited those in jail. A compassionate, kind-hearted person, she believed in treating others as you would want to be treated and trying to understand others’ journeys without judging them.

Marlys is survived by her children: Stewart (Kathy) of Moorhead, MN, Diane (Dallas) Sloan of Barron, WI, and Craig (Liz) of Plymouth, MN; grandchildren: Travis (Kayla) of Pflugerville, TX, Lindsay (Tony) Hoaby of Stanley, ND, Sara (Jared) Winter of Bismarck, ND, Andrew (Kaitlyn) Sloan of Barron, WI, David (Amanda) Sloan of Burnsville, MN, Hannah Sloan of Barron, WI, Lauren Robley of Plymouth, MN and Julia Robley of Plymouth, MN; eight great-grandchildren; step-grandchildren: Allyson (Jeremiah) Fortin of Minneapolis, MN, and Dan (Molly) Opgrand of Moorhead, MN and their families; sister, Eileen Robley of Pelican Rapids, MN; brother, Larry (Jeri) of Summerfield, FL, sister-in-law Joyce Davis of Vergas, MN, Junell Robley of Fergus Falls, MN, and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Robley, parents, Walfred and Martha Johnson, and her brother Verlyn Johnson, A special thank you to the wonderful staff at Monroe Manor in Barron for their loving care of Marlys.

A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, April 26th at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sabin, MN, with visitation one hour prior. Lunch will be served after the service. Interment will be held following the service at Zion Lutheran Church in Pelican Rapids, MN.

Memorials are preferred to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (Grand Central Station, P.O, Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777) or Trinity Lutheran Church in Sabin, MN.

Local arrangements are being handled by Rausch and Steel Funeral Home in Barron, Wisconsin.

Last Update: Apr 17, 2022 4:56 pm CDT