Marilyn Jean Carstens

Marilyn Jean (Hoffman) Carstens, 92, of Marion, Iowa, passed away on Friday, March 14, 2025, at Terrace Glen Village in Marion. There will be a visitation at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Marion, from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 21, 2025. A Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Marion, with a private burial at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Marilyn was born on August 11, 1932, in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was the daughter of Raymond and Dorothy (Frohn) Hoffman. From a farm near Cortland, Nebraska, the family moved to a farm in Eldon, Iowa in 1941 where Marilyn attended a one-room school. She would later graduate from Fairfield High School in 1949, then move to a farm near Batavia, Iowa in 1950. She graduated from Parsons College in 1953, where she earned her bachelor’s in music education. She pursued post graduate work at the University of Iowa, University of Michigan (Interlochen Center for the Arts) and University of Northern Iowa. She was united in marriage to Edwin Louis Carstens on June 16, 1956.

Marilyn was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, mentor, musician, and faithful friend. She loved to host family and friends at her house and was particularly fond of a tea party. She took great pleasure in having people gather around her grand piano to sing or play along with a wide variety of instruments. Music was always a great passion for Marilyn. In the public schools of West Branch, Williamsburg, Cedar Rapids, Alburnett, and Marion she taught both music and language arts. As a private piano teacher, she taught countless students to experience the joy of music. As a church musician, she served many years as an organist and choir director at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Marion, where Marilyn and Ed were members for over 60 years.

Marilyn was deeply involved in her community and shared her love of music and service in many ways. As the pianist for the Dixie Notes band, she spent many years in her retirement sharing music and fun at many community events. She was a member of the KJ PEO Chapter and her past involvement with the Musical Literary Club and Sorosis Club showcased her dedication to the arts and lifelong learning.

In mid-life Marilyn developed a new passion, writing. She developed her craft by attending writing workshops at the University of Iowa and the University of New Hampshire. She would say each of those were pivotal experiences in her life. Teaching kids to write became a career focus, but her personal writings were her real legacy. She was determined to preserve family history, leave stories of her life experiences and her love of nature and beloved pets.

Marilyn's joyful outlook on life resonated with everyone she met. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Marilyn is survived by her three daughters, Cheryl (Mark) Irland, Joy (William) Lucas, and Jennifer Flieder; seven grandchildren, Ben Irland (Melissa Lord), Kyle Irland, Andrea (Kyle) Winey, Sarah Lucas (Christopher Fernandez), Conrad Lucas, Austin Flieder, and Amy Flieder; one AFS daughter, Karen (Mike) Polkinghorne; one sister, Ilene (Mahlon) Vorhies; one sister-in- law, Elizabeth Carstens; son-in-law, Al Flieder; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Dorothy Hoffman, and husband of 63 years, Edwin "Ed" Carstens.

Memorials in Marilyn's memory may be directed to the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection's music program.