Marilynn Patricia (Altrock) Tamisiea died at Mercy hospital in Council Bluffs on Feb. 25, 2026. She was born at the same hospital on Aug. 22, 1941, to Harold and Emma Altrock and grew up in McClelland. After graduating from Underwood Community Schools in 1959, Marilynn moved to Council Bluffs, working at Cook’s Paint and Peoples Natural Gas. She was introduced to her roommate Shirley’s cousin, Bill Tamisiea, and they married on Dec. 7, 1968. She then worked on their farm near Modale, spending the long summer hours gardening, cooking, canning and freezing, as well as helping move equipment from field to field. She also had the small task of raising their son, Mark. During the winter downtime, she enjoyed needlepointing and quilting. Bill and Marilynn retired from farming after the harvest in 2004 and gradually spent less time on the farm. They celebrated their 45th anniversary together just before he died in 2013. She enjoyed retirement by scrapbooking and creating a backyard garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. During these last years, when Mark was home to visit, they would frequently travel to DeSoto Bend to view the wildlife and take photos.
Faith was important to Marilynn, and she contributed by teaching Sunday school at St. Paul Lutheran church in Treynor and, after moving, at St. Paul Lutheran in Missouri Valley. She also changed the paraments there for 35 years. She served on the scholarship committee of the Hospital Auxiliary for over 25 years, many of those as chairperson. Marilynn and Bill would often share their garden abundance with the residents of Culavin Heights.
Marilynn was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Emma Altrock; her husband, Bill Tamisiea; and her sister-in-law, Barb Tamisiea. She is survived by her son, Mark Tamisiea; her sister, Darlene Reed and her husband Richard; her bother-in-law, Bob Tamisiea; her sister-in-law, Linda McIntosh and her husband Tom; a long-time close friend, Donna Lapel; and nine nieces and nephews.
The family invites everyone to a time of lunch and fellowship immediately following the funeral service.
Visitation will be on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 6-8 p.m., at Hennessey Funeral Home in Missouri Valley. The funeral service will be Friday, March 6, 2026, at 11 a.m., at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Missouri Valley. The officiant will be Pastor Jean McCartney and Carole Gorham will be the organist. The final resting place will be Mount Carmel Cemetery in Missouri Valley.
