Marianne G. Dague, 97, left this world on January 25, 2023 with family at her side.

A celebration of her life will be held at 11 A.M., Friday, February 3, 2023 at Carson Celebration of Life in Maquoketa, Iowa.  Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 P.M., Thursday, February 2, 2023, at Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa.  Burial will be at Hickory Grove Cemetery, rural Monmouth, Iowa.

Marianne G. Broessgen Dague came into this world on October 26, 1925 in Berlin, Germany the daughter of Anna Wilkens and Alfred Lehman. She was adopted as an infant and raised by Karl and Martha Broessgen. She attended school in Berlin and completed business classes so she could immediately start work after graduation.

Her teenage years were full of war time unrest and her life was forever changed by living in war torn Berlin during WWII. After the war, she lived in the American sector of Berlin and worked as a civilian employee for the German Airforce for six years. It was here that she met John Willard Dague and their marriage on July 19, 1948 is what brought her to the US. She moved from the city of Berlin to a little farmhouse in rural Jackson County, that had neither running water or electricity. She and Willard had three children, Margaret(Maggie), John, and Cindy. In 1965, Marianne and Willard divorced and she moved to Maquoketa where she began her 22 year career at JC Penney, managing the catalog department.

Marianne enjoyed traveling, crocheting, ballroom dancing with the polka being her favorite, vegetable and flower gardening and bird watching. She delivered Meals on Wheels and was part of the Merry Knitter group. But most of all she enjoyed her family. She often proclaimed that her children and family were her greatest asset; it had nothing to do with money in the bank. All of the grandchildren loved going to grandma’s house, where they played marbles and ate crepes. At her grandchildren’s request, she gave presentations to their middle school social studies classes on living through the war in Berlin.

She had a vivacious personality and loved sharing stories, laughs and shenanigans with friends, new and old. If she couldn’t remember or pronounce your name, she would give you a nickname and was loved for it. Until her health slowed her down, she was always up for an adventure, even going down a water slide at age 95. She was proud of her German heritage and would say auf wiedersehen (goodbye) or ich leibe dich (I love you) to her caretakers at Clover Ridge and Hospice, and many made her happy by learning it and saying it back.

Marianne will be sadly missed by her children: Maggie Smith of Cedar Rapids, John Dague of Maquoketa, Cindy (Jerry) Schau of Monmouth and ten grandchildren: Lisa (Flint) Parrish, Tim Smith, Ashley (Drew) Smith-Hammond, John Paul (Tiffany) Dague, Mathias (Jolene) Dague, Anya (Billy) Bellinger, Joseph Dague, Lucas (Ella) Schau, Jessica (Mike) Schau Nelson, and Dustin (Lauren) Schau. Fifteen great-grandchildren will be missing out on Oma’s/Green Grandma’s huges and cuddles.

Marianne was predeceased by her parents, brother Gunther, sister Helga and one great-grandson, Brody.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be directed to Hospice of Jackson County, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, or Camp Courageous of Iowa.

Online condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.