Marvelyn Zubke

Marvelyn Zubke, 88 of Watertown and formerly of Waubay died surrounded by family on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown. Her funeral will be at 10:30 A.M. Friday, April 8, 2016 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waubay, Rev. James Wilshusen will officiate. Burial will be at Lakewood Cemetery. Vistation will be at the funeral home on Thursday 5-7 P.M. ending with a 7 P.M. Prayer Service. Visitation will continue at the church on Friday. Marvelyn Marie Mikkelson was born on December 16, 1927 to Melvin and Anna (Holm) Mikkelson on the family farm north of Ortley, South Dakota. She was baptized on February 5, 1928 at Zion Lutheran Church near Ortley and later confirmed on Oct. 8, 1939 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Waubay. She attended Breske country school, District 206 northeast of Waubay through the eighth grade. She came to Waubay High School after a year break. During that year, her mother taught her to sew, making broom stick skirts and other items. She did sewing for neighbors, making curtains and sewing dresses for her sisters and sewing other things. She started high school the next year. It was there that she met Leo Zubke her sophomore year. They were waiter and waitresses at the junior-senior prom and from there it was history. After graduation in 1946, Leo and Marvelyn were married on September 28, 1946 at the Zion Evangelical Parsonage in Waubay. After their marriage the couple lived with Leo’s parents, Frank and Hattie (Bundrock) Zubke for a year and farmed. The next eleven years they lived on and rented the Walton farm south of Waubay. In 1958 they bought the Paul Eidet farm southeast of Waubay. They farmed there for many years, raising five children, Jon, Jerry, Bob, Pam and Dave. In 1978 they moved to Blue Dog Lake. Leo would drive to the farm each day to work with Dave. They lived there until high water forced them to move their home into Waubay. Leo passed away in October 2006. After his death Marvelyn continued to live there until 2014 when she moved to Stoney Brook Assisted Living in Watertown. She said it was OK but no place like home! She was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waubay where she was a member of Ladies Aide. Marvelyn loved to sew, loved to cook and loved to have her many grandchildren and great grandchildren come to see her. Even teaching some of them to crochet. She cooked for threshing crews and it always seemed like she could make a lot out of a little. For her, it seemed like an easy task at Christmas when grandkids were small. She will be greatly missed for her smiles and encouragement, her quick wit. She always tried to keep up with how everyone was. Always worried about everyone else first. Marvelyn passed away surrounded by family on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at Watertown, South Dakota at the age of 88 years, 3 months and 18 days. Marvelyn is survived by her children, Jon (Beverly) Zubke of Waubay, Jerald (Donna) Zubke of Milbank, SD, Pamela (Lynn) Jensen of Sundance, WY and David (Marilyn) Zubke of Waubay, SD; grandchildren, Sharon, Duane (Rhonda), Greg (Sandy), Steve (Jodi), Darrel, Deanna (Curt), Tim (Darla), Cathy (Jerit), Jim, Tina (Hans), Julie, Jen, Dani (Jessie), and Lisa (Cody); thirty one great grandchildren; one great great granddaughter and one great great grandson on the way; three sisters, Evelyn Zubke of Webster, SD, Elaine Halse of Watertown, SD and Ruth (Don) Doyan of Spearfish, SD; a sister-in-law, Mona Mikkelson of Waubay, SD; and several step grandchildren which she kept in her heart. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one son, Robert, three sisters, Beverly, Lorraine and Arlene, two brothers, DeVern and Donald and one granddaughter, Sandra.