Middleton/Verona - Marilyn E. Doerfer, age 69, died on Saturday, April 7, 2018, at Agrace HospiceCare. She was born to Fredrick and Margaret (Blumke) Doerfer on January 20, 1949. She attended Verona schools from kindergarten through high school, graduating in 1967.

She began her career at Cuna Mutual right after graduation in 1967, and worked there for 37 ½ years. She continued her career working at Group Health Cooperative for 13 years until her retirement on January 12, 2018.

Marilyn loved to travel, especially in Europe and Door County. She was proud of her extensive list of travels from 1996 through 2017. She enjoyed attending Badger sports games, as well as watching the Badgers and Packers, or most football or basketball games on TV. She also enjoyed playing golf for many years, and enjoyed watching golf tournaments as well. She was a member of the Thursday Thrillers card club for over 35 years with many lifelong friends. Another enjoyment of hers was getting groups together to travel near or far to a new supper club. Lobster was her favorite.

She was a lifelong member of St. James Evangelical Lutheran church in Verona, where she shared the musical talents she was blessed with, having been one of the organists for over 50 years, and retiring in 2017. She also used her musical talents singing in and accompanying the church choir. In addition to sharing her musical talents at church, she was a member of the Madison Symphony Chorus for 14 years until her health caused her retirement from singing in 2017.

She will be missed by her family who survive her, the remaining two “lyn” sisters, Carolyn Doerfer, and Evelyn Cain, as well as her brother-in-law, Mark Cain. She is further survived by an uncle, Donovan Doerfer of Loudonville, Ohio, and many cousins, extended family members, friends, her GHC work family, and St. James Church family. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The family will greet friends and relatives on Friday, April 13, 2018, from 5 p.m.to 7 p.m. at Ryan Funeral Home, 220 Enterprise Drive, Verona. Marilyn’s Celebration of Life will be held at St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, 427 S. Main Street, Verona, WI with Pastor Kurt Billings officiating on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 11 a.m. Family will greet friends and relatives at the church from 9 a.m. until the time of service.

Marilyn requested a special thanks to her family and friends for the many prayers, cards, notes, phone calls, gifts, and visits during the last months of her life, as well as the prayer shawls from St. James. Thanks to Dr. Toby Campbell and the staff at U.W. Carbone Cancer Center and a special thanks to the staff at Agrace HopiceCare for both their in-home services as well as the residential staff when Marilyn made her decision to make Agrace her home in February. Having survived melanoma for 22 years and a bladder cancer diagnosis in 2016, her journey ended after an eight month diagnosis with lung cancer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, Verona or Agrace HospiceCare at 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Fitchburg WI 53711.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit www.ryanfuneralservice.com

Marilyn Doerfer

January 20, 1949 - April 07, 2018

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