Marilyn Sue (Wagner) Strause, passed away peacefully at Avalon Memory Care in Keller, Texas on May 1 at the age of 80. She was the oldest child of Neva (Rice) and Gottfried Wagner, born on Oct. 2, 1941, in Lansing, Mich. She attended Miami University in Oxford. She met the man of her dreams and her soulmate Ronald Strause in Port Clinton. They married on June 4, 1961, on the campus of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, then went on to raise four sons and later adopted two daughters from Guatemala. Marilyn loved socializing with friends, raising children, and managing their various homes in Fairborn, Littleton, Mass., Groton, Mass., Mansfield, and after retirement, spending summers in Marblehead, and winters in Keller, Texas. All who knew her loved her smile, her infectious laugh, her genuine kindness, and her loyal friendship.

Marilyn and Ron especially enjoyed their many vacations at their cottage in Winthrop, Maine on Annabessacook Lake. The call of the loons will forever be a fond memory of everyone who visited there. Marilyn and Ron enjoyed many wonderful road trips in their motorhome and went on numerous cruises to exotic locales with many of their dear friends throughout the years. She loved animals of all kinds but dogs held a special place in her heart, so her home was never without at least one. It was not possible for her to pass a pet store or shelter without going in and falling in love with an adorable puppy.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her father, Gottfried (Fred), and her mother, Neva. She is survived by her husband Ronald of 60 years, her sister Marcia and husband Dr. Robert Gardner of Colorado Springs, Colo., her brother Larry and wife Georgeann Wagner of Houston Texas, and her sister Karen Heath of North Richland Hills, Texas. She is also survived by her four sons and their wives, Kevin and Melissa of Lowry Crossing, Texas, Dean and Morgan of Corinth, Texas, Craig and Susan of Springtown, Texas, and Eric and Maria of Apex, N.C., and her two adopted daughters, Julie of Mansfield, and Trudy of Ocala, Fla. She leaves four grandchildren, Camille, Derek, Sydney and Avery, two great-grandchildren, Margo and Elliott, and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service in Marblehead will be conducted at a date to be determined with interment at Sackett Cemetery in Danbury Township, Marblehead.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) or a local dog rescue organization of your choice. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.neideckercrosserpriesman.com. Neidecker, Crosser & Priesman Funeral Home & Cremation Service is handling the arrangements.