Marilyn Ann (Berendsen) Stodola

Marilyn (Berendsen) Stodola, 84, of Charlotte, died Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at the Harris Hospice Unit of Novant Presbyterian Hospital.  Mrs. Stodola was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the daughter of the late Donald and Luella Parker Berendsen. In addition to her parents, Marilyn was preceded in death by her stepfather, George E. White; sister and brother-in-law, Barbara (Berendsen) & Richard Joski; brother, Donald W. Berendsen.  She is survived by her husband, Paul R. Stodola, Charlotte; sons Daniel and daughter-in-law, Nancy of Manassas, VA; Gregory and daughter-in-law, Jill of Fredericksburg, VA; Charles and daughter-in-law Tina of Charleston, WV; daughters Susan Stodola of Bozeman, MT;  Karen Leigh of Middleport, OH; Judy Killough and son-in-law, Brian of Charlotte and Patricia Stodola,of  Clover, SC and 12 grandchildren.
Miss Berendsen was employed by Capital Airlines in 1953, first working as a reservation agent in Detroit, then transferring to Milwaukee to work as a Capital Airlines ticket agent at the Billy Mitchell Airport. She married Paul R. Stodola, son of the late Joseph and Mary (Havelka) Stodola of Rice Lake, WI on September 3, 1955 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Green Bay, WI, while he was attending Marquette University at the time. Their first child was born on Christmas Day, 1956.
 After Mr. Stodola graduated in 1957, the young family moved to California where he was employed by the California State Department of Water Resources. The couple had six more children and made six more moves throughout the state during their 16 years in California. The family moved to West Virginia in 1973, and in 1987, Mr. Stodola was transferred to Ohio where the couple lived until retiring to Florida in 1994, and then moving to Aldersgate, CCRC in Charlotte,  in 2014.
Mrs. Stodola was appointed to the Textbook Review Board for Mason County, WV.  She was active in all parent/teacher organizations, Band Boosters, and sports organizations. She also taught Sunday religion classes, helped out at the Church's Bingo fund-raisers, and cleaned the church. She attended Business College in Gallipolis, Ohio and worked in the office at the Appalachian Power Co. Sporn Power Plant in New Haven, WV, starting in July 1980, and was secretary for the Electric Plant Manager at Columbus Southern Power in Columbus, Ohio from 1987 until retiring in December 1993.
Mrs. Stodola liked to sew and made many dresses for the girls while they were little. She also made numerous clothes for the girls’ Barbie dolls. After the move to West Virginia, she returned to her earlier hobby of painting ceramics, including a large nativity set and a large chess set complete with matching table. Her work won many blue ribbons at the county fair. Her co-workers at Columbus Southern Power nominated Marilyn for McDonald's Secretary of the Month and she was selected by McDonalds. She also learned to crochet and made several afghans for family members before her interests turned to genealogy after her retirement.
 Marilyn and her husband traveled to Europe in 1998 to research their ancestors in Holland, Belgium, Germany and Bohemia (Czech Republic). They met many new relatives, both in Europe and the United States, through their travels and their quest for family information.  
The family will receive friends on Friday, December15th from 10-11AM at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, 4207 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte with a Memorial Mass to be offered at 11AM.   Marilyn will be interred at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Charlotte.   Memorial donations may be sent to the Alzheimer Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Fl 17 Chicago, IL 60601, or to a charity of one's choice.  Online Condolences may be addressed to www.carolinafuneral.com .  Carolina Funeral Service & Cremation Center is entrusted with the arrangements.
 

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