Marilyn Istad

Marilyn J. Istad, age 88, of Decorah, Iowa, died Monday, December 18, 2017 at Wellington Place in Decorah. Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, January 9, 2018 at First Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. Chad Huebner officiating.   Visitation will begin on Tuesday at 10:00 A.M. at the church, one hour before the service. Marilyn JoAnn Haugen was born July 19, 1929 in Pleasant Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa, the daughter of Marie (Rustad) and Gjermund T. Haugen. She was baptized and confirmed at Canoe Ridge Lutheran Church.  Marilyn attended the one-room Lake View schoolhouse in Pleasant Township.  She and her sister Kay sang duets at many school and church affairs.  In 4H, she was once voted “Best Dressed Girl in Winneshiek County”.  In order to attend Decorah High School, she moved to an apartment in town, graduating in 1947.  She then worked at the telephone company with her best friends.  Some joined her in a move to Eugene Oregon, where a group of Decorah ex-GIs had moved.  She married Chuck Istad in 1949.   Linda was born in Corvallis, Oregon, before the family moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Julie was born.  Jan was born at their first home in Winneshiek County, behind the Canoe store, in 1955.  As the Pepsi distributorship grew, the family moved into town to 606 Fifth Avenue.  These were the “glory years” of post-WW2 homemaking.  Marilyn became a great cook, seamstress, and party hostess.  With her influence and dedication, she kept all three Istad girls busy in tap dancing, swimming, singing, and piano lessons.  Both parents were huge supporters of the schools and all things related. When the girls became old enough to work, Istads bought the Cremee Freeze in 1967 and changed the name to the Whippy Dip.  It is this public decade that is most remembered by hundreds of Decorah natives and Luther graduates.  Her motto was “the customer is always right.”  Weighing the cones and changing the funny sayings became a family tradition.  When Marilyn became an empty-nester, she loved playing golf and bridge.  She also volunteered at the hospital and First Lutheran Church.  She made birthday cakes for Luther students for decades. Marilyn is survived by two daughters, Julie Stroeve and Linda (Thomas) Brandt, both of Minneapolis, MN; five grandchildren: Luke Stroeve of Seattle, WA, Andrew (Allison) Stroeve of Des Moines, IA, Tova Brandt (Steven Olson) of Decorah, Kirsten (Brandt) Hensley (Christopher) of Ann Arbor, MI and Isak Istad Sindler of Lancaster, PA; four great-grandchildren; her sister, Kay Bigalk of Harmony, MN; and ten nieces and nephews.She is preceded in death by her husband, Chuck Istad on August 8, 2012; her parents; one brother, Curtis Haugen; two sisters, Arlyne Seaton and Geraldine Solem; a daughter Jan Istad who died on September 18, 2007; an infant daughter, who died at birth in 1954; and a son-in-law, Henry Stroeve. The family wishes to thank all those who assisted Mom in her later years, especially, Mary Shimek, Ruth Woldum, Mary and Jon Hart, the First Lutheran visitors, and the staff at Wellington Place.     In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to First Lutheran Church or a charity of your choice.