Marion L. Lehman, 95, died peacefully Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020 at her Mt. Vernon home surrounded by her loving family.
Private family services were held on the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon, officiated by Pastor Terra Amundson. Arrangements were with Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services of Mount Vernon. Friends and extended family were invited to watch the service via Facebook live stream. Please search for and request to join the Remembering Marion Lehman private Facebook group for more information.
Marion Radke was born Nov. 26, 1924 to Martin and Mabel (Watson) Radke in Hinsdale, Illinois. She graduated from Riverside-Brookfield High School, Riverside, IL in 1942.
Her first job was with the Old Age Assistance program, which became Social Security. She was then hired by Bear, Stearns and Company, a brokerage house on LaSalle Street, the Wall Street of Chicago. She was secretary to the manager of the Bond Department.
She was later hired by WWZR FM Radio, where her job was to organize all pre-recorded programming and announcements of Pop, Concert and Classical music for their 24 hour all-music station, and was in training as a radio station manager. That position took place during World War II and, due to the vulnerability of radio stations, security was tight. She loved the job, but a year later was lured back to Bear, Stearns and Company, where she worked until she was married.
Marion met the love of her life, a handsome Marine named Fred Lehman, at the USO in downtown Chicago. It was love at first sight. After the war, they were married in Chicago at the Central Church in Orchestra Hall on Michigan Avenue, across the street from the Art Institute.
Fred and Marion have lived in Iowa their entire married life. They first moved to Bloomfield where Fred sold insurance and Marion was a paralegal. A year later, they moved to West Liberty, where Fred grew up, to farm. During those early years, Marion supplemented their income by teaching piano lessons. In 1965, because of the territory Fred needed to cover in his work with Walnut Grove Feeds, they moved to Mount Vernon.
In 1966, Marion was hired to help Edith Hetland establish a middle school library, then an elementary library in Mount Vernon. It was a job she loved until she retired in l988. They called her “Marion, the Librarian” just like the character in the movie “The Music Man”.
She was an enthusiastic member of the Methodist Choir for 40 years. Fred and Marion raised a music loving family.
She is survived by Fred, her husband of 73 years as well as four daughters — Connie Clancey (Marty) of Cedar Rapids, Jean Lehman of Mount Vernon, Lori Reihle of Cedar Rapids, and Ann Currie (Jay) of Mount Vernon. They have six beloved grandchildren including Jennifer Clancey, Andrew Clancey (Jasmine Eisner), Abbie (Reihle) Hames (Curtis), Kristen (Reihle) Kimball (Derek), Kit Currie and Clint Currie (Jason Bladow) as well as five adorable great-grandchildren.
During their married life, Fred and Marion traveled widely across the United States and abroad as a couple, sometimes with family. They vacationed for over 50 years with family and friends in the Lake of the Ozarks. Marion water skied until the year she was 70.
She was a member of Lisbon and Mount Vernon Woman’s Club, Friendship Club, United Methodist Women, a founding member of T.T.T. Society Chapter EW and the American Legion Auxiliary Post 480.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon, American Legion Auxiliary Post 480 or T.T.T. Chapter EW.
Marion never met a stranger. She was very genuine in the love (and hugs) that she shared freely. She will be greatly missed by all.
Please share your support and memories with Marion’s family on her tribute wall at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.