Marlene Grace Vos

Marlene Grace (Wubben) Vos

January 20, 1933 – October 30, 2025

Marlene Vos was born in Raymond, Minn., to Harry and Dena Wubben. She died Oct. 30 at age 92.

Marlene was the second of eight children. After she finished eighth grade, she was sent to work to help support the family. Marlene spent her days taking care of another family's children.

At age 18, she moved West to live with close family friends John and Elizabeth Buss at their new farm in Snohomish, along with their daughter, Laura, her best friend. Marlene worked in the canteen at Boeing and in an Everett nursing home.

One day in 1956, she was invited to lunch at another friend's home, where she met a nice man named Bill Vos. Bill and Marlene were married in 1957, and moved to a small farm in Monroe, where Bill raised beef cattle and Marlene tended a massive garden.

The garden was Marlene's happy place. She had a large vegetable plot producing endless canned goods, from dill pickles to soup mix. At one point, she tended over 100 varieties of dahlias, her favorite flower. Always busy in the kitchen, it was a treat to have her fresh-baked bread with homemade jam, or a slice of pie made from her own Gravenstein apples.

When Bill started Bill's Disposal service, Marlene kept the books by hand, answered calls, and collected payments. She also worked at a bakery and Shinoda Floral.

Faith was first and foremost for the couple. She and Bill were active members of the Christian Reformed Church, including Monroe and, most recently, Cascade CRC in Marysville. Marlene played organ, accordion and piano. When she entered full-time care at a nursing facility, she tickled the ivories once again for residents.

After caring for foster children, Marlene and Bill added their own daughters in the 1960s. Marlene became active in Mother's Club at Monroe Christian School. And when her daughters were still young, she went back to school at Everett Community College — and earned her GED.

Marlene was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 66 years; brothers Ken Wubben and Daniel Wubben; and grandson Robert John Craig. She is survived by her daughters Carol Poplin and Lois Vos; younger siblings Edith Wubben, Albert Wubben, Grace Engels, Mary Fischer and John Wubben; grandchildren William Craig, Dylan Williams and Jazmynn Williams; and seven great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Cascade CRC.

Burial will be 11 a.m. Nov. 21 beside Bill Vos at Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent. Memorial will be at 11 a.m. Nov. 22 at Cascade Christian Reformed Church, 13908 51st Ave. NE, Marysville. Lunch to follow.