Marian D. Thurston

Marian D. Thurston passed away May 3, 2026 at Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehab in Vinton. Marian was born October 13, 1938 to Fred and Edna (Lammers) Dieken. She grew up on a farm near Lime Springs, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran church in Lime Springs. She attended first thru sixth grade at the country school located near the family farm. She then attended and graduated from Lime Springs High School in 1956. After graduation she worked in Waterloo and later in Rochester, MN where she worked in medical records at the Mayo Clinic. In 1960 she met and married Larry Glynn. To this union 4 children were born, daughters Colleen, Michelle, and Rochelle, they also had a son, Michael. They separated and she moved back to Iowa. In 1970 she married Paul Matthiesen and had a son, Keith. They separated in 1991 and she moved to Richmond, Virginia to be closer to her sister. While in Virginia she met John W. Thurston, they married in 2006. Marian loved her flower beds, baking, and her and John raised vegetables in their large garden and operated their church farmer’s market for many years. After John passed, Marian returned to Iowa to be closer to her children and grandchildren.

Marian is survived by her daughters, Michelle Arp and Rochelle White, both of Dysart, sons Michael Glynn of Bradenton, FL, and Keith Matthiesen of Dysart. She also had 8 grandchildren, Jessica (Chuck) Garner of Dysart, IA, Nicole (Derek) Bruns of Dysart, IA, Heather (Zach) Williams of Cedar Rapids, IA, Samantha (Erik) Ibarra of La Paz, Baja Mexico, Kilee Dengler of Dysart, IA, Marc Franco of Sidney, OH, Milo Arp of Dysart, IA, Montana Arp of La Porte City, IA; and 11 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Sharon (Joe) Sgavicchio and family of Richmond, VA. Marian is also survived by many cousins and friends.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, her husbands, her daughter Colleen Fowler, and infant brother, Charles.