A very beautiful person, Marlene Kay Rau, passed away on February 22, 2019 at her home in Rochester Minnesota at the age of 71.  She bravely endured the debilitating effects of Multiple System Atrophy for the last couple years. Marlene was born to Robert and Patricia Bernard of Chatfield, Minnesota on February 6, 1948.  She attended Chatfield Schools graduating from Chosen Valley High School in 1966.  She then worked at Mayo Clinic until meeting her husband, Thomas J Rau, in December 1968.  They were married at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Chatfield on May 3, 1969, and had two children, Tiffany Rene Rau (1970) and Brandon Bernard Rau (1972).

Marlene worked at Control Data Corporation, and then Elgin-Millville Schools as a teacher assistant, retiring in 2008 after twenty years.  Staff and students all enjoyed Marlene's strong work ethic and her caring, loving nature.

Marlene and Tom lived in Burnsville (1969-70), Rochester (1970-77), Elgin for forty years and now back in Rochester since 2017.  Marlene spent her time and life as a great wife and partner, a caring, loving mother and grandmother, and a special teacher assistant to teacher and students.  She loved her flowers and camping with family and friends.

She is preceded in death by daughter, Tiffany Rene Rau; her parents; parents-in-law, Herbert and Amelia Rau; brothers-in-law, Richard (Colleen) Bradt, Arle H (Judy) Rau, Gary (Jean) Oelkers; and sister-in-law, Joan J (Rau) Liffrig.

She is survived by her husband Thomas; her son, Brandon B Rau, and daughter-in-law, Jolene M Rau of Rochester; five grandchildren, Brady L Rau, Blaise L Rau, Bayla T Rau, Lilah M Rau and Gavin T G Rau; and two step-grandchildren, Josie R Sveen and Allie M Sveen.  Surviving siblings are Colleen A Bradt of Chatfield, Daniel J Bernard of Stillwater, Carol L (Mick) Pickford of Minnetonka, Nancy J (Gayle Seaquist) Bernard of Rochester; siblings-in-law, Jerry and Diane Rau of Elgin, Jean Oelkers of White Bear, Judy Rau of Burnsville, Richard Liffrig of Upsala, John and Ardeth Meyer of Oronoco, Evelyn Stiller of Rochester, Edward Meyer of Rancho Cordova, CA and Marianne Christiansen of St Cloud.

Arrangements are with Schleicher Funeral Home of Plainview, MN.  A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, March 1 ^st , at the Church of St. Pius X in Rochester, with Father Russ Scepaniak officiating.  Visitation will be from 4 to 7 PM on Thursday, February 28 ^th , at Schleicher Funeral Home in Plainview, and one hour before the funeral service at the church.  A lunch will follow mass at the church and internment thereafter at St. Joachim's Cemetery in Plainview.