Marlyn W. Wibben, age 88, of Little Rock, died Saturday, May 24th, at the Good Samaritan Society in George.
Visitation will be Friday, May 30th from 9:30AM until the hour of service, at Salem Reformed Church in Little Rock.
Funeral service will be 11:00AM Friday May 30th, at Salem Reformed Church in Little Rock, with Pastor Daniel Stanley officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery in Little Rock.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Wibben family for later designation.
For a complete obituary and online registry please visit: www.jurrensfuneralhome.com
Marlyn Wayne Wibben was born November 3, 1936, in rural George, Iowa, the son of Phillip and Tena (Harms) Wibben. The family lived northeast of George, IA, for a few years before moving to Melvin, IA briefly. They then moved to Sibley, IA and Marlyn attended Sibley School District graduating in 1955.
Marlyn met the love of his life Ethel Jane Harberts at the Sibley hospital when he was a patient and she was a nurse. They were united in marriage on June 13, 1957, at the First Presbyterian Church in Sibley, with Rev. W. Morz officiating. The couple was blessed with three children, Mark, Teresa and Mike. Marlyn initially worked as a farmhand for Don Getting near Sanborn, IA. In 1964 Marlyn and Ethel purchased a farm north of Little Rock, IA. He loved every minute of farming and caring for the land. He taught his children to work hard, encouraged them to pursue their dreams, and shared with them his love of animals. Being the son of a carpenter he also was able to level barns, build buggies(and pull them with his Shetland ponies), and do many woodworking projects. Marlyn never complained about work and he and Ethel lived on the farm they purchased for 64 years. He had retired at age 80 seeing many spring plantings and many fall harvests with his wife who worked side by side with him not only with the land but also milking cows and going to horse shows. He and Ethel also spent many summers camping at Cutty’s in Okoboji, taking bus trips, and going to the grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s activities.
Marlyn was an active member of Salem Reformed Church in Little Rock, serving as Deacon, Elder, and singing in the Men’s Choir and Adult Choir. He also served on the Little Rock School Board and A.M.P.I. Board. When his children were young, he served as a 4-H Leader.
In November of 2024, Marlyn entered the Good Samaritan Society in George, IA, where he remained until this past Saturday, May 24, 2025, when he died at the age of 88.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 67 years Ethel Wibben of Little Rock, Iowa; three children son Mark (Donna) Wibben, of Rock Rapids, Iowa and their children Crissy (Adam) Skogsberg, Valerie (Ryan) Sheppard, and Kayla (Nate) Halbur; daughter Teresa (Kelly) Pomerenke of Sioux Center, Iowa, and their children, Aaron (Alicia) Pomerenke and Jason Pomerenke, and son Mike Wibben of Little Rock, Iowa, and his children Jaydon, Alice, and Matthew Wibben; seven great-grandchildren, two sisters-in-law, Marie (Ron) Niebrugge of Spirit Lake, IA and Sharon Schultz of New Ulm, Minnesota, and many nieces, nephews and other extended family.
Marlyn was preceded in death by his parents, Phillip and Tena Wibben; two sisters, Phyllis Voss and Ilene Weller; Sisters-in-law, Syvia Harberts, Margaret Harberts; brothers-in-law, Dean Voss, Don Weller, Loren Harberts, Orvile Harberts and Marvin Schultz.
