Marietta Marilyn Perlinger was born August 1, 1937, the 13th child and youngest born to John and Maggie (Kowalski) Mazankowski at the rural Litchfield family farm in Sherman County, Nebraska.
Marietta attended the Scott Center, District 63, School in Rural Sherman County starting at the age of 4. She graduated from Litchfield High School in 1953 at the age of 15 and then, that fall, began teaching at the same Scott Center School she attended as a child. She had three students. After a year of teaching, she moved to Kearney, Nebraska, where she roomed with her sister Dorothy and was employed at various jobs.
Marietta met the love of her life, Francis Perlinger, in August of 1956, and they were married on January 26, 1957, at Saint Gabrielle's Catholic Church in Hazard, Nebraska. They made their home in rural Perkins County, Nebraska.
They were blessed with two adopted children, Michael Joseph in 1961 and Susan Marie in 1963. Marietta's life was busy raising her children, attending household chores, and aiding in the business of farming and church work. As the children grew, she was able to work alongside her lifelong friend, Phyllis Theiler, in Elsie, Nebraska, at the Wheatland Elementary School as a cook. They served many students delicious meals along with smiles and hugs. The two were a fixture behind the glass of the kitchen counter for many years and are fondly remembered by the students.
As the years went by, Marietta enjoyed spending time spoiling her five grandchildren with love, backrubs, and homemade goodies of all kinds. She also enjoyed challenging them to rowdy games of Pitch around her kitchen table. She later played Bridge with several card groups in Elsie, Grant, and Paxton, Nebraska.
Marietta moved to Grant in November 2006 and enjoyed small-town life, walking to the Post Office and visiting with friends and neighbors, including special neighbors DeeAnn and Bob Tatum.
In October of 2021, Marietta moved into Parkridge Assisted Living in Grant and continued enjoying visits with family and friends.
She moved to Bethseda Gardens Memory Care Center in Loveland, Colorado in June of 2023 to be close to her daughter, Susan. They shared many great times together in her final months here before Marietta received her welcome home to God's heavenly kingdom.
Marietta passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, September 8, 2024. She had reached the age of 87.
In addition to her parents, Marietta was preceded in death by her husband, Francis, in 2010, two infant brothers, two brothers, and eight sisters.
She is survived by one son Michael and wife Lori of rural Elsie, Nebraska and one daughter, Susan McLaughlin of Loveland, Colorado; five grandchildren, Mary Leiker and husband Ken, Matthew McLaughlin and wife Laura, Anne Ollanketto and husband A.J., Traci Dieckmann and husband Tyler and Lindsey Cunningham and husband Logan; 12 great-grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends.
A memorial has been established in Marietta's memory for later designation. Condolences may be shared at bullocklongfuneralhome.com