Marlys Jean Depietro

Marlys Jean DePietro was born August 31, 1938 on a farm near Verdi, Minnesota to Ralph and Bethel (Dial) Rochel. She attended school in Verdi and Lake Benton, Minnesota, graduating from Lake Benton High School in 1956. After graduation she was employed with insurance companies in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Philadelphia. On February 13, 1959 Marlys married James DePietro in Elkton, Maryland. Their union was blessed with two children and 57 years of life together. Jim was a marine, and the couple lived in various states and in Japan, during which time Marlys held various jobs. When they moved to Flandreau, South Dakota in 1981 she began working at Metropolitan Federal Bank in Flandreau, retiring in 1995. They lived in Pipestone for 14 years and in 2012 moved to Lake Benton. Marlys was a cancer survivor in 1989 and had five by-pass surgeries in 2000, followed by a pace maker in 2013. On Saturday, November 12, 2016 Marlys died at Pipestone County Hospice House in Pipestone, Minnesota at the age of 78.

Marlys was a member of Lake Benton United Methodist Church. She was a selfless, genuine, warm-hearted person who did not have an enemy in the world. She was also a strong-hearted woman who persevered during the many times she and Jim were separated during his military career. When at age 13 her dad died, she cared for all of her younger siblings, displaying the gentle nurturing soul she was to all her family and friends.

Marlys is lovingly remembered by her husband, Jim of Lake Benton; her children, David (Romy) DePietro of St. Joseph, MO and Danette DePietro of Columbus, NE; 5 grandchildren, Noelia, Marissa, and Colton DePietro, and Rylee and Ashlyn Dykstra; her siblings, Donna Pierce of Mankato, MN, Dale (Florence) Rochel of Lake Benton, MN, Lyle Rochel (and Ellen Christensen) of Tyler, MN, Dennis Rochel of Lake Benton, MN, Gerald (and Faye) Rochel of Lake Benton, MN, Sandra (Roger) Sik of Lake Benton, MN, Keith “Butch” Rochel of Lake Benton, MN, Richard (and Deanna) Rochel of Florence, AZ, and Linda Borresen of Lake Benton, MN; and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister and brother-in-law Betty and Anthony DeZeeuw; brothers Ronald and David Rochel; and her grandparents.

Blessed be her memory.