Marilyn J. Grabinski

Marilyn J. Grabinski, 88, died on Thursday, December 11, 2014, at the Bethany- Riverside Nursing Facility after a long illness. She was born July 21, 1926 in La Crosse to Leo and Ann (Tuma) Meyers and grew up on La Crosse’s Northside.
Marilyn graduated from Aquinas High School in 1944. After graduation, she bravely traveled to Washington D.C. to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation doing finger printing.
Marilyn returned to La Crosse and attended Viterbo College until she met and married her best friend and the love of her life, John (Junior) Grabinski, on May 29, 1948. They raised two daughters and were married for more than 66 years. During those years she accompanied her husband on frigid trips as he trapped the river bottoms in the area and on camping trips up in northern Wisconsin to trap turtle. Marilyn spent many hours cooking wild game, turtle and fish and loved to spend time with her husband fishing or just sitting by the water on Goose Island and Riverside Park.
Marilyn was a devout Catholic and never missed mass. She was a long time member of St. Pius X and Mary Mother of the Church Catholic communities.
Marilyn was a wonderful mother and spent many hours babysitting her four grandsons. They had many baths in that house on Victory Street. She spent her whole life taking care of her of her husband and family and had the cleanest house on the Southside of La Crosse.
Marilyn is survived by her husband John(Junior), sister Rosemary Fleischman, daughters Rosanne(John) Betz, Lisa( Tom) Degenhardt , grandsons Scott(Michelle) Sandau, Marc(Amy) Sandau, Matt(Sarah) Degenhardt, A.J.(Jessica) Degenhardt, and three great grandchildren Lily, Madelyn, and Brian.
In accordance with Marilyn’s wishes, her body will be cremated and there will be no services. Burial of her cremated remains will take place in Oak Grove Cemetery at a later date.