Wanda L. Marczak, 88, Chaska

August 31, 1935 - June 14, 2024

Wanda Leona Marczak, 88, most recently of Chaska, MN, died in her home at Chaska Heights Senior Living on June 14, 2024. A visitation will be held at Williams Dingmann Funeral Home in St. Cloud, Minnesota from 3:00-5:00 on Sunday, June 23. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Waite Park, MN, at 11:00 on Monday, June 24, with a visitation one hour prior to the service at the church.

Wanda was born in Quincy, Illinois in 1935 to Mary and Joseph Matticks, the second youngest of eleven children. After graduating from high school, Wanda went on to get her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary and special education. She taught in Quincy for many years while living at home with her mother and younger sister.

In 1967, Wanda was set up on a blind date with Roger Marczak through mutual friends. The two immediately hit it off and were married that April. The happy couple moved to the Quad Cities in northern IL where Wanda gave birth to their daughter, Marie, in 1968. They then moved to St. Cloud, MN, where Wanda began her special education teaching career in Sartell, MN. In 1970, their son Jim was born. The family spent many summers camping, fishing, and working in their huge backyard garden.

A few years after Roger’s passing in 2005, on a trip to visit her sisters in Quincy, Wanda was reunited with her old beau, Paul Doellman, whom she had dated in her early 20’s. They struck up a friendship, which deepened into a long and loving relationship lasting over 10 years, until Paul’s passing in 2021. During their time together they enjoyed traveling to Florida in the winters, fishing on Paul’s property in Missouri, socializing with neighbors in local taverns, and making friendly wagers on baseball and games of gin rummy.

After Paul’s passing, Wanda relocated to Chaska, MN to be closer to her family. Over the past three years, she enjoyed watching Sunday football games with family, attending activities in her assisted living home, and playing bar bingo at Lisa’s Place in Carver. Last year, Wanda was fortunate to be reunited with her oldest son, Kris, whom she lovingly gave up for adoption earlier in her life. The two got to meet and kept in contact throughout her last year.

Wanda was preceded in death by her parents, all of her siblings, her husband Roger, her partner Paul, and her son-in-law Doug Blumhardt. She is survived by her three children: Marie Fernholz (Luke Fernholz), Jim Marczak (Amber Keller), and Kris Fierek (Sherri Fierek); and five grandchildren: Zoe Blumhardt (Gunnar Molstad), Magda Suhonen (Derek Suhonen), Andrew Fierek, Joseph Fierek, and Timothy Fierek. She will always be remembered for her playful sense of humor and for always putting others first.

Memorial preferred to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.