Marlene Wiske

Marlene (Carney) Wiske was born in Aurora, Colorado on November 11, 1935. She was the oldest of three with a sister, Irene Selenke and brother, Jim (deceased). She attended Cathedral High School and obtained a bachelors degree from The University of Denver. After several years of teaching in Holly Colorado and at Lincoln High School she returned to The University of Denver to pursue her MBA. At the time, Marlene was one of the few female MBA students in the business school. She was always grateful to her parents for providing her with the opportunity to continue her education. In 1963, Marlene married Raymond Wiske. They spent 45 very happy years together and had three sons Greg, David and Dan. While raising her children, she became active in the League of Women Voters and was president of the Colorado chapter from 1975 – 1977. She remained active in politics throughout her life. Marlene returned to work in the late 1970s and spent 20 years working for Cobe Laboratories/Medtronic. Marlene enjoyed her work as a purchasing manager and at the same time remained committed to her volunteer work. She spent many years working with Urban Peak for homeless youth; The Community Caring Project for new mothers; St Paul's overnight shelter; the 17th Judicial Review Nominating Commission; Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays; and for the last 15 years she was a child advocate for the National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization. Marlene had only recently finished one of her last cases with the CASA organization. For her dedication to many of these causes, in 1995 Marlene was presented with the Minoru Yasui award for community service by then First Lady, Hillary Clinton. Marlene said that volunteering kept her sane in a hectic life and that she was always happy to see that volunteer work really did make a difference. She traveled with family and friends, enjoying local trips to the mountains, special trips with her grandchildren, and vacations in Europe. After her husband passed, she shared several years with a partner, Dan Gossert, a longtime family friend. They enjoyed traveling, opera and great meals. Throughout her life she continued her education through classes, workshops, seminars and at the lifelong learning academy at the University of Denver. She spent hours researching topics such as current events, science, philosophy, health, religion, economics and political issues. She loved reading and her book clubs were an important part of her time with friends. Marlene spent 40 years in a gourmet cooking club with a close group of friends. She appreciated her friendships, old and new, immensely. Marlene's living will noted that one of the most important things for her in life was to be able to enjoy a meal with family and friends. Marlene was the first to say she had a wonderful life – she prioritized family, friends, personal growth and giving back. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother and a true friend to so many. She lived with compassion and dignity and was an inspiration to us all. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to CASA for children, 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601 or at www.CASA17th.org.