Marie Wolbrecht

Marie Helen Suedekum Wolbrecht, 85, of Portland, Ore., died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2005, at St. Aidan's Memory Care Facility, where she had lived the past eight years.

She was born Sept. 16, 1919, in Cape Girardeau, and raised there, daughter of William F. and Helen Suedekum. She lived with her Lutheran pastor/church executive husband, the Rev. Dr. Walter Wolbrecht, in Missoula, Mont., Seward, Neb., Concordia and Kirkwood, Mo., Chicago, Shreveport, La., and moved to Portland in 1981.

Marie was a registered nurse and was very active in church and community affairs throughout her life, honoring all of life by the way she loved and lived. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Gresham, Ore., at the time of her death.

Survivors include three Lutheran clergy sons, William (Margaret) of Portland, Thomas (Cheryl) of Little Rock, Ark., Timothy (Susan) of Redmond, Wash.; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; three brothers, Clarence and Witt of Cape Girardeau, and William of Port Charlotte, Fla.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Sunnyside Little Chapel of the Chimes in Portland was in charge of arrangements.

The family requests that remembrances be made to a local Alzheimer's organization.