Marlene Ruth Andersen

Marlene R. Andersen, 84, of Grand Island, NE died on Thursday, September 14, 2023, at CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island, NE. Funeral services will be at 2 PM on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island, NE. Burial will follow at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 5 to 7 PM on Tuesday, September 19th  at Apfel Funeral Home. 

Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation. Online condolences may be left at www.apfelfuneralhome.com. 

Marlene was born on February 27, 1939, at Holt County, NE to Ralph and Betty Jean (Oxner) Thurlow. She spent her younger years in country schools before graduating from Rock County High School in 1957. 

She was united in marriage to Jerald Andersen on October 12, 1958. To this union were four children: Steven W, Brian, Laura M. and Gayla. She worked in the Rock County welfare office, before working 18 years as a secretary for American National. 

She enjoyed dancing with Jerald, cooking, crocheting aphghans, reading and doing word searches. She cherished spending time “babysitting” her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, Jerald; son, Brian Andersen; daughters, Laura M. Andersen and Gayla Andersen; eight grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren; and brothers, Arnold , Oliver and Garland Thurlow.

She was preceded in death by her parents, son, Steven W. Andersen and sisters, Carolyn Dillon and Arla Dickau