Marlene Schaack

Marlene Schaack, 79, Bismarck passed away on Dec. 11, 2021.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Dec. 17, at Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary, 806 E. Broadway, Bismarck.

Visitation will be held from 5-7p.m., Thursday Dec. 16, with a rosary/vigil starting at 7 p.m. at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck.

Marlene Ann Bauer was born on July 23, 1942 to Ferdinand and Rachel (Partlow) Bauer. She grew up and attended school in Bordulac, ND where she graduated from high school in 1960. Marlene enjoyed telling the story of graduating summa cum laude and smiled when she revealed it was in a class of four. She enjoyed playing basketball in school, listening to music and loved to dance. She also told of many adventures with her best friend, Karen Moriarity Theis.

Marlene moved to Carrington and started working in admissions at the hospital and later in the lab. She met, and later married, Robert Theis on Feb 19, 1966. They made their home in Carrington. Together they had five children: Jeanne (Royd) Unruh, Mary Beth Schuchard, RJ (Karla) Theis, Suzy (Stacy) Fitterer, and Sara Berger. Marlene’s faith was important to her. While raising her five children she made sure they came to know Jesus and the importance of prayer. She was also at different times helping on the farm, assisted running a family auto dealership, and a fertilizer/chemical application business.

She spent her time with her family camping at the lake, hosting family holidays and birthdays, and chauffeuring for her kids to their many activities. She always enjoyed coffee with the ladies and birthday club get togethers.

Marlene moved to Bismarck in 1997 and later married Jerry Schaack on Aug 20, 2004. Together they enjoyed spending time with friends, attending family events, volunteering and a special trip to Italy. She enjoyed her work as a phlebotomist at Sanford Hospital and at Cold Water Creek, where she loved to shop. She was active in altar society, volunteering at Ruth Meiers Hospitality House, Ministries on the Margin, her mom’s grief group and attending all of her grandchildren’s events.

She will be remembered for her patience, kindness, sense of humor, being the fashionista she was, and always having her home warm and inviting; her excellent cooking and baking skills, (with traditions of oyster stew on Christmas Eve and root beer floats in a special glass), but most of all, her love and commitment to her family... Even in her last days despite being very sick, she always wanted to know how her kids, grandchildren and friends were doing.

Marlene is survived by her husband, Jerry Schaack, her children Jeanne, RJ, Suzy and Sara; her grandchildren, Jaydee, Jackson, Jesse, Colton, Morgan, Jacob, Nick, Abby, Maddy, Wyatt, Brooke and Dylan; great-grandchildren, Chaxton, Elizabeth and Parker; brothers, Bill (Marlys) Bauer and Paul (Cheryl) Bauer; brothers-in-law, Joe Sondag, Dan (Christy) Ava as well as Arie, David, Wolf, Diana, Kyle and Seth Schaack.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Mary Beth Schuchard; parents, Ferd and Rachel Bauer; brother, Gary Bauer; sisters Delores Ihringer; Phyllis Sondag; sister-in-law, Marlys Bauer and brother-in-law, Al Ihringer.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St. Mary’s grade school or Ministries on the Margin.