Marilyn Zabel

Marilyn Iris (Werner) Zabel, age 85 of Belle Plaine, passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at Bayside Manor in Gaylord.  Memorial Service will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine.  Rev. Martin Bentz will officiate.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery followed by lunch at church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Jude.

Marilyn was born May 3, 1938, the fifth child of seven children to Gilbert & Eleanora (Schroeder) Werner in New Ulm, MN.  She was baptized in the Evangelical United Brethren Church in New Ulm.  When she was in 2nd grade the family moved to Nicollet and then in 4th grade they moved to Glencoe.  She was confirmed in the Congregational Church in Glencoe.  

Marilyn was no stranger to work.  The family had a pickle plot for Gedney Pickles which meant they had to be picked every day to get the smallest ones for the best grade.  They had a big garden which meant planting, weeding and canning.  When Marilyn was 16 years old and had her driver’s license, she took Dad's old farm truck and went to work at “Chickies Drive Inn” in Glencoe in the summers.   

Marilyn graduated from Glencoe High School in 1956.  After graduation, she worked in Glencoe for two years and then along with her sister Lila went to Minneapolis to work.  They walked along Lake Calhoun to work at American Hardware Mutual Insurance.  On the weekends, they would go home to Norwood-Young America where the folks had moved to and Friday nights they would go dancing.    

At one of these dances is where she met Donald Zabel.  On April 30, 1960, she was united in marriage with Don at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Mayer.  After one and a half years of marriage, Don was drafted into the Army, so they packed the car and drove to Lawton, Oklahoma.  Marilyn worked as a receptionist at Town & Country Mobile Home Manufacturing Company.  After coming back to Belle Plaine, she worked for Green Giant, Dean Foods and FSI before retiring in 2001.  She did part-time jobs at Curves, Belle Plaine High School, and volunteered at Trinity Lutheran Church’s office. 

Marilyn enjoyed crafts, music, dancing, reading and fishing.  She also loved baking and cooking, which talents she passed on to her daughters and granddaughters, and she continued throughout her life.  Family meant everything to her.  

Marilyn is preceded in death by her parents, an infant grandchild, two sisters, one brother, one sister-in-law, and four brothers-in-law. 

Marilyn is survived by husband Donald of Belle Plaine, children: Dennis Zabel (Deeann Sparks) of Peru, IN; Debra & Dan Haas of Mesa, AZ; Melanie & Carl Hallin of Belle Plaine; Natalie & Roger Paul of Gaylord; 16 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; sisters: Shirley Anklam of Mankato; Lila Martin of Tucson, AZ;  brother Darrel & Judy Werner of Remer; sister-in-law Lois Harens (Les Bening) of Arlington; as well as many nieces , nephews, other relatives and friends. 

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