Marÿke Elisabeth Gabriele Lien

Marÿke Elisabeth Gabriele Lien, 71, of Waterloo, IA, died Thursday, March 28, 2019, at UnityPoint Health—Allen Hospital.

She was born May 15, 1947 in Nuremberg, Germany, daughter of Johann and Wilhelmina (Over de Linden) Zwingel.

She moved to Decorah from Germany in the mid-1960s and as a young lady worked in the cafeteria at Luther College. Later in life, she worked at Covenant Medical Center and Friendship Village in the cafeteria; she also was an in-home caretaker.

She married Gerald “Jerry“ Lien in May 1966 in Decorah; they later divorced.

Marÿke enjoyed going to the community center in Cedar Falls and playing cards with her friends. She enjoyed gardening at her home especially with flowers, particularly petunias which she would keep all over her house. A favorite pastime of hers was people-watching at coffee shops. Marÿke liked to knit. Everyone enjoyed her colorful dishcloths and often asked her if she would make them one.

Above all, she was a wonderful homemaker who loved raising her children and caring for her family. It was important to her to teach her children to speak German and learn about their German heritage, which included taking them to visit relatives in Germany. Marÿke loved her grandchildren and to them she was Omi. She always attended their sporting events and other activities.

She is survived by a son, Brandon (Cathy) Lien of Cedar Falls, IA; a daughter, Renate Lien Bello of Easthampton, MA; three grandchildren, Jake and Austin Lien and Jenna Schmitz; a sister, Yvonne (Thomas) Brehm; a brother, Rene Zwingel; three nephews, Thorsten and Johannes Brehm, and Jesse Zwingel; two nieces, Nadine and Kathinka Zwingel, all of Germany; and a special friend, Kris Zimmer of Des Moines, IA.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Hans Zwingel.