Marlene Stieve
August 1st, 1934 - July 6th, 2022
Share Book of Memories with a Friend
Please enter the name and email details so that we can send your friend a link to the online tribute. No names or addresses will be collected by using this service.
Marlene's Obituary
Marlene Jacqueline (Jacoline) Spencer Stieve received her greatest wish on July 6th, 2022. She left this world to go to her home in Heaven where she has found peace and eternal rest in her Savior’s loving arms. She will live on in many memories as a warm and caring woman who loved knowing all about their lives and giving great hugs. She will be greatly missed.
Born the eighth of nine children on August 1st, 1934 to Anna and William Spencer in Boyne City, Michigan, Marlene grew and thrived there until her graduation as salutatorian. She moved with her mother and brother Robert to South Haven in 1952. There she met and married Elmer “Bill” Stieve in 1953. Together they raised three daughters who she loved: Linda, Carol, and Donna. Later, she welcomed three granddaughters: Afton, Kallie, and Katie who she also dearly loved and treasured. She gratefully received a grandson when Kallie married Zachary Robinson in 2020.
Marlene stayed active in many activities with her family and church family. She enjoyed attending different events in which her daughters and granddaughters participated such as horse shows, talent shows, concerts, basketball games, track meets, softball games, plays, musicals, Van Buren County Fair activities, and more. She served as a Key Leader for the Jay-Dee 4H Club and taught many young people to knit and sew. Some of her most treasured memories involved teaching Sunday school for over thirty years, and she still enjoyed hearing from her former students. She also sang soprano in the church choir for many years where she made true, lifelong friends namely Sue and Don Holzhueter. As a member of the Ladies Aid, she helped to start a birthday card ministry for women eighty and over, and she managed rummage sales in the summer to buy various items for St. Paul Lutheran Church and School such as a school bus. Even when she could no longer drive, she called and scheduled greeters for each Sunday. During recent years, she never missed an in person or Livestream church service. She treasured her family and her church.
Working hard throughout her life, Marlene started as a bookkeeper at Everett Piano Company and later worked as an Office Manager for Russ Hyma Chevrolet. Later she managed her brother Bob’s Appliance business. She took great pride in taking care of the lawns and cabins for Stieve’s Phillip 66 Station, since she loved to mow and paint. She finally gave up mowing her own one-acre yard after her 80th birthday. For many summers, Marlene worked at Ed and Eleanor Stieve’s Lake Bluff Motel and Holly Inn Motel. One of her favorite part-time jobs was picking blueberries, and many family members remember her taking them to pick these when they came to visit.
Marlene was predeceased by her parents, Anna and William Spencer, husband Elmer “Bill” Stieve, granddaughter Afton Lisette Newton, siblings Nina Weatherholt, Theodore Spencer, Bette Hackbardt, William Spencer, Rosetta Dooner, Nelda Hoyt, and Robert Spencer, Sr.
Marlene is survived by her daughters Linda Stieve (Dan Coyne), Carol (Tom) Newton, Donna (Kurt) Holzhueter, granddaughters Kallie (Zach) Robinson, Katie Holzhueter, sister Lena Talbot, sister-in-laws Violet Spencer, Ruth Stieve, brother-in-law Richard (Olga) Stieve, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of her life will take place at St. Paul Lutheran Church in South Haven, MI on Tuesday July 12th (her mother’s birthday) beginning with 10:00 AM visitation and 11:00 AM funeral service conducted by Pastor Stephen Daley. A luncheon will follow at St. Paul Lutheran school gymnasium. In lieu of flowers, Marlene requested that donations be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church and School in her memory.
To view Marlene’s personal web page please visit www.starksfamilyfh.com
Arrangements have been entrusted to Filbrandt Chapel of Starks Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, 269-637-0333.
Born the eighth of nine children on August 1st, 1934 to Anna and William Spencer in Boyne City, Michigan, Marlene grew and thrived there until her graduation as salutatorian. She moved with her mother and brother Robert to South Haven in 1952. There she met and married Elmer “Bill” Stieve in 1953. Together they raised three daughters who she loved: Linda, Carol, and Donna. Later, she welcomed three granddaughters: Afton, Kallie, and Katie who she also dearly loved and treasured. She gratefully received a grandson when Kallie married Zachary Robinson in 2020.
Marlene stayed active in many activities with her family and church family. She enjoyed attending different events in which her daughters and granddaughters participated such as horse shows, talent shows, concerts, basketball games, track meets, softball games, plays, musicals, Van Buren County Fair activities, and more. She served as a Key Leader for the Jay-Dee 4H Club and taught many young people to knit and sew. Some of her most treasured memories involved teaching Sunday school for over thirty years, and she still enjoyed hearing from her former students. She also sang soprano in the church choir for many years where she made true, lifelong friends namely Sue and Don Holzhueter. As a member of the Ladies Aid, she helped to start a birthday card ministry for women eighty and over, and she managed rummage sales in the summer to buy various items for St. Paul Lutheran Church and School such as a school bus. Even when she could no longer drive, she called and scheduled greeters for each Sunday. During recent years, she never missed an in person or Livestream church service. She treasured her family and her church.
Working hard throughout her life, Marlene started as a bookkeeper at Everett Piano Company and later worked as an Office Manager for Russ Hyma Chevrolet. Later she managed her brother Bob’s Appliance business. She took great pride in taking care of the lawns and cabins for Stieve’s Phillip 66 Station, since she loved to mow and paint. She finally gave up mowing her own one-acre yard after her 80th birthday. For many summers, Marlene worked at Ed and Eleanor Stieve’s Lake Bluff Motel and Holly Inn Motel. One of her favorite part-time jobs was picking blueberries, and many family members remember her taking them to pick these when they came to visit.
Marlene was predeceased by her parents, Anna and William Spencer, husband Elmer “Bill” Stieve, granddaughter Afton Lisette Newton, siblings Nina Weatherholt, Theodore Spencer, Bette Hackbardt, William Spencer, Rosetta Dooner, Nelda Hoyt, and Robert Spencer, Sr.
Marlene is survived by her daughters Linda Stieve (Dan Coyne), Carol (Tom) Newton, Donna (Kurt) Holzhueter, granddaughters Kallie (Zach) Robinson, Katie Holzhueter, sister Lena Talbot, sister-in-laws Violet Spencer, Ruth Stieve, brother-in-law Richard (Olga) Stieve, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of her life will take place at St. Paul Lutheran Church in South Haven, MI on Tuesday July 12th (her mother’s birthday) beginning with 10:00 AM visitation and 11:00 AM funeral service conducted by Pastor Stephen Daley. A luncheon will follow at St. Paul Lutheran school gymnasium. In lieu of flowers, Marlene requested that donations be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church and School in her memory.
To view Marlene’s personal web page please visit www.starksfamilyfh.com
Arrangements have been entrusted to Filbrandt Chapel of Starks Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, 269-637-0333.
Service Details
View the current service details below. Sign up for email or text updates to receive notifications of any changes to service schedules or important information.