Marilyn Juliet Rindy

MONONA/JANESVILLE-Marilyn J. Rindy was born to James and Hazel Stearns July 15, 1926, in Janesville, and died peacefully surrounded by family on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.  Immediately following her high school graduation at 17, Marilyn, being too young to join the service and wanting to do her part for the war effort, went to radio studies at Patterson Air Field in Ohio.  She became a Jr. A/C Radio & Electronic Equipment Installer for the War Department.  She worked on the base repairing airplane radios.  After the war ended, she put herself through college at UW-Whitewater for teacher education and was a Tri-Sigma Sister.  In college she met her future husband, Phil.  She graduated in 1949, and had many teaching jobs.  Much to the dismay of her children, she was a substitute teacher at their high school, Monona Grove, and was known there, affectionately as “Ma Rindy”.  She returned to school and obtained her Masters of Library Science in 1979. She enjoyed many years working at the Wisconsin Reference and Loan Library until her retirement.  She had a great intellect and enjoyed her many book groups, bridge and her crossword puzzles.  She never wanted to miss a social event and was always open to trying new things.  Until her death she enjoyed Water Zumba, AAUW, the Elks Ladies’ Auxiliary, and all her friends in the Mediocre Book Club and the “Irish Mafia”.  She will be greatly missed by her children, Jim (Karen) Rindy, Mary Sue Rindy, Peggy (Patrick) Lewellin, and Kathryn Rindy (Amy Callahan); and her loving grandchildren, Lucas, Annie, Erin (fiancée Jacob Frost), Riley and Julie.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Philip; and her brothers, James and Arthur Stearns.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH, 5101 Schofield St. Monona, at noon, on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017.  Visitation will be held at the church from 9:30 until the time of the Mass on Saturday.  In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Immaculate Heart of Mary or the Friends of the Monona Community Library.