Marlene Rauch

Marlene J. Rauch, 74, a resident of Eldridge, died Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at Westwing Place in DeWitt.

Funeral services celebrating her life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Chambers Funeral Home in Eldridge. Burial will be at Davenport Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 26th at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Eldridge Food Pantry.

Born on June 23, 1943 in Davenport, Marlene was the daughter of Melvin E. and Alice (Stoefen) Ruser. On October 29, 1960 in Davenport, she married Lawrence B. Rauch.

Marlene and her husband owned and operated Eldridge OK Hardware for 20 years. She was an Eldridge supporter, donating and planting flowers in the Eldridge parks for many years. A former First Lady of Eldridge, Marlene fostered the relationship with sister cities in the Schleswig-Holstein area of Germany. Marlene was an accomplished artist and a wonderful cook; baking cakes for family and friends for various occasions. She loved horses; and enjoyed riding her motorcycle, along with Larry, traveling the country.

Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Larry; children, Dena Rauch and Jeffrey Rauch; grandchildren, Peter, Lucy, Abigail, and Madeline; a great-grandson, Leon Lawrence; brothers, Ronald (Terry) Ruser and Gary (Maureen) Ruser; and many nieces and nephews, whom she dearly loved.

Marlene was preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Paul; and a niece, Michelle.