Marlys Ruth Keen

 Marlys Keen age 84 of Sioux Center, Iowa passed away Saturday, July 8, 2023 at Crown Pointe Estates Care Center in Sioux Center.

 Memorial services will be 11:00 AM Thursday, July 13, 2023, at United Reformed Church in Sioux Center with Reverend Jon Bushnell, officiating. A livestream link will be available here to view the service. Livestream

 A prayer service will take place at 10:00 AM, Thursday July 13th at Memorial Funeral Home with burial to follow the prayer at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center.

Visitation will be Wednesday, July 12th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM with family present at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.

Memorials may be directed to: United Reformed Church Building Fund or Westminster Seminary of California.

Marlys Ruth Tinklenberg was born on April 19, 1939, to Peter A. and Jennie (De Jong) Tinklenberg in Rock County, Minnesota. As the youngest of 9 children, she was the object of much attention from her older siblings, particularly after age 5 when she endured a mysterious childhood illness that had doctors declaring she would not survive beyond the age of 18-25. Evidently, someone shared this information with God, because he said, “Watch this!” and Marlys was given a full and long life!

She graduated from Southwest Minnesota Christian High school in 1958 and went on to Nettleton Business College, afterwards landing a position at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. While working there and attending a church youth group, she met Jerry Keen, a student at Calvin. They married on June 10, 1961. For the first several years of their marriage they moved to various places while Jerry pursued employment and further education. Later they welcomed 2 children, four years apart, Miriam Joy and Joel Michael.

In 1972, Jerry’s work led them to Wichita, Kansas, where they spent the majority of their years together. Marlys’s acuity in the kitchen was especially evident around Christmastime, when friends, family and sometimes strangers were gifted with a tray of her famous goodies. Many guests sat around her table enjoying food and fellowship and Marlys’s wonderful hospitality. After they both retired, Marlys and Jerry spent time travelling the world and enjoying God’s creation wherever they were.

In May 2021, Jerry and Marlys moved to Sioux Center to be closer to their daughter. About a year later, Marlys became a resident of Crown Point care facility where she lived for the remainder of her days. She passed away on July 8, 2023.

With confidence we know that she was welcomed into glory by Jesus and by her parents, Jerry’s parents, 7 of her siblings, 6 in-laws and 3 pre-born children. Marlys is survived by her husband of 62 years, Jerry, her daughter, Miriam and husband Mark Buss of Sioux Center, and her son, Joel and wife Cyndi (Luttjeboer) of St. Peters, Missouri. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are Hannah and Michael Vander Broek (Evelyn), Peter and Katie Buss (Sophia, Hazel and Kaiser), Leah and Trenton Groeneweg, Emma Keen, Abigail Keen, and Benjamin Keen. Marlys is also survived by her sister Mildred Haack of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, in-laws Rena Tinklenberg of Edgerton, Minnesota, Shirley Tinklenberg of Highland, Indiana, Robert and Betty Keen of McBain, Michigan, Stanley and Karol Keen of Wyoming, Michigan, James and Diana Keen of Jenison, Michigan, and Barbara and Roger Vander Tuuk of Jenison, Michigan.