Marilyn Jean Nordquist

Marilyn Jean Nordquist passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. She was 92 years old.

Marilyn was born to Alice and Leo Van Nest on July 1, 1932 in Ferguson, Missouri. She grew up with three sisters, Nancy, Lois and Elaine in St. Louis, Missouri. With all those sisters, she earned the names “Sis” or “Sissy”. Whenever her family visited St. Louis, she was called either name by her family. She would frequently say her full name was Marilyn Jean Sissy Can’t Van Nest. One can only imagine where the “Sissy Can’t” came from but think it was the frequent “I can’t” answer when she was asked to do something! She loved dancing and grew up taking many dance classes.
Dancing is what brought her and her husband together. She met Darwin Arthur Nordquist at a USO dance when he was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood with the US Army. They married on July 3, 1954 and shortly after moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to live with Darwin’s parents. In June their son Duane was born and five years later daughter Kay arrived. They moved to Nebraska in 1965 and daughter Susan was born. During all of this time, Marilyn did whatever she needed to do for her family, including moving to West Des Moines for Darwin’s job. She was a secretary for Darwin for many years until the company decided wives weren’t allowed to do that anymore. He always said “she was the best secretary he ever had.” Her brutal honesty in all things was probably very helpful. She was also a waitress and did other secretarial work. She never worked when her kids were at home. If they had a day off of school then she was with them. She was a great mother and spoiled all of her kids. Not spoiled rotten just spoiled enough so all could feel how important they were to her and so loved.

She was a wonderful cook! She could put on such an amazing spread that she could barely eat with her family before she had to lay down from exhaustion. She loved to go out for breakfast. And lunch and dinner too! As time went on there was way more going out than cooking. She and Darwin had their regular waitresses and friends at their favorite restaurants.

Marilyn always had a garden. She eventually just grew tomatoes and they were beautiful! She had a love hate relationship with weeding her flower beds and garden but it kept her busy. Darwin used to mow down her garden every year which started a yearly fight. It seemed like those two loved to fight and bicker but they loved one another very much and were married for 70 years until Darwin’s passing in October. The last five months have been hard on her without him. He helped her manage her life with dementia so well. She has been so lost without him. Imagine the joy they are experiencing in Heaven now.

Marilyn is survived by her children, Duane (Eileen) Nordquist, Kay (Steve) Klemp, and Susan (Dan) Duve; her grandchildren, David (Cheyenne) Nordquist, Heather (Caleb) Schnathorst, Holly (Aaron) Smith, Caitlin (B) Krater, Grace Nordquist, Danny Nordquist, Cali (Kiel Reynolds) Duve, Lexi Duve, and DJ Duve; great-grandchildren, Lorelei Nordquist, Josephine Nordquist, Edith Ina Nordquist, Elias Dominguez, Ian Dominguez, Gideon Schnathorst, Kamil Krater, and Arlen Krater; sisters, Nancy Fournier and Lois (John Grundhauser) Weismantle; brother-in-law, Bob Temper; and many nieces and nephews.

She was greeted in heaven by her husband, Darwin, her parents, and her sister, Elaine Temper. She always had a little dog by her side so there will be lots of little poodles and Darwin’s black labs jumping on her for treats. She spoiled them too!

Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday, March 31, 2025 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, Iowa. Funeral services will follow the next day, Tuesday, April 1 at 9:30 a.m. at Reach Church, 2725 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines, Iowa. Burial at Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa on Wednesday, April 2 at 12:30 p.m.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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