Marian Louise Sturgeon

Marian L. Shawback Sturgeon, 85, passed peacefully from this world to her eternal home on Thursday, August 25, 2022, at the University Hospital, Madison, WI, following a brief illness. Marian was born Marian Louise Richard, to Wesley and Evelyn (Strode) Richard on Friday, November 13, 1936 in LaSalle, Illinois. She married Richard R. Shawback on January 4, 1955, at the Richland EUB Church. They were a special team, always active in their church, whether it was in the music ministry, opening their home to the young people of the church for picnics, Bible studies and campouts, or Marian using her gift of hospitality and hosting many people in her home over the years. They especially loved to spend time with their children and grandchildren as often as possible and were farmers near Streator, Illinois, until Richard’s passing on March 9, 1996. Marian married Thomas A. Sturgeon on January 19, 2001, in Olmsted Falls, Ohio. She and Tom loved to travel all over the country to visit friends, go to conferences for the military groups Tom was a part of, and to visit family. Tom preceded her in death on October 2, 2021. One of her favorite pastimes was playing the piano. She loved the old hymns, and over the past year she memorized 75 hymns on the piano, while also teaching herself to play by ear. She is survived by two daughters, Brenda (Kris) Johnson of Rochelle, IL, and Julie Shawback of Warrenville, IL. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Leslie (Justin) Kelley of Watertown, WI, Derek Johnson of Rochelle, IL, and Travis Johnson of Alhambra, CA; a great grandson, Sebastian; a great-granddaughter, Nevaeh; three step sons, Andy (Carol) Sturgeon of Scotts Mills, OR, Randy (Lorrinda) Sturgeon of Vail, AZ, and Ken (Beth) Sturgeon of Woburn, MA; and eight step grandchildren, Shannon (Josh) Hancuff of Vancouver, WA, Andrew Sturgeon of Scotts Mills, OR, Charles (Megan) Sturgeon of Vail, AZ, Eliza (Mason) Fortney of Kansas City, MO, Christian, Danielle, Kimi, and Harry Sturgeon of Woburn, MA. She is also survived by a brother, Eugene (Victoria) Richard of New River, AZ. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Maywood Evangelical Free Church on Saturday, October 29, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be private for family on October 28. Memorial contributions may be directed to the music ministry at the Maywood Evangelical Free Church, 3621 Samuelson Road, Rockford, IL ,61109 or to Moody Radio Chicago, 820 North LaSalle Drive Chicago, IL, 60610.