Marlene Willa (Fallbeck) Carriker passed away on April 6, 2020 at the Paul Spring Retirement Community in Alexandria, Virginia. She was 88 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband Wendell on December 25, 2012, her only sister Wilma (Fallbeck) Mann of Alliance, NE, and her parents Otto and Emma Fallbeck of Alliance, NE.
Marlene is survived by four children and their families – Gordon Carriker of Ozark, MO, Judith and Michael Jurkowski of Alexandria, VA, Bradley and Cynthia Carriker of Alexandria, VA, and Roger Carriker (Lisann, 2013) of Jessup, MD. She has seven grandchildren (Danielle, Diana, Daniel, Sarah, Anna, Natalie, and Andrew), and six great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews in Nebraska, Connecticut, and Virginia.
At 3 years of age, her parents, Emma and Otto Fallbeck, moved to Alliance, NE, where they remained until their passing. Marlene attended Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, NE for two years and transferred to Denver University, Denver CO, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Education in 1954. Marlene and Wendell came to Washington in 1954 after their wedding in Nebraska on October 3, 1954. Wendell’s selection for a Physicist position at the Naval Research Lab (NRL) brought them to Washington, DC. Marlene worked for five years (1955-1960) at NRL and in 1960 became a stay at home mom. After the children finished elementary school, she applied to and was selected for a position with the Contracts Division at the Environmental Protection Agency and remained with the Division until she retired in January 1995 with 27 years of government service.
Marlene and Wendell resided in Washington, DC for six years. They purchased their first home in Alexandria, VA (Mt. Vernon/Ft. Hunt area) in 1960, their second home in 1971, and have lived in the area ever since. Marlene moved into Paul Spring in July 2014. After Marlene and Wendell moved to Alexandria, they continued to attend services at Mount Vernon Methodist Church in Washington, DC. However, with four children, they decided to look for a church closer to home. They found Aldersgate United Methodist Church in the Ft Hunt area and it became their place of worship. Marlene and Wendell, were members of Aldersgate UMC since 1966. Marlene and Wendell raised their children in the Ft Hunt area, where they attended Hollin Hall Elementary, Stratford Landing Elementary, Stephen Foster Intermediate, and Fort Hunt High School.
Marlene was a member of the Aldersgate United Methodist Women (UMW) group since 1995. She donated her time to updating the UMW directory for about nine years, made pillows for the UMW bazaar, and participated in the annual project by cutting, sewing, and stuffing heart shaped pillows for heart surgery patients. Marlene and Wendell were responsible for getting the INOVA Blood Drives started, which was a local blood drive collaboration between Aldersgate UMC and other area churches. Blood drives by some of the original churches are still being held today.
The family wishes to thank staff and caregivers at Paul Springs for their assistance during Marlene’s residency there. They also want to thank the Aldersgate United Methodist Church community for their love, care and support for Mom and Dad over the years. Aldersgate was a major part of their life.
In lieu of flowers, love offerings may be sent to Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1301 Collingwood Road, Alexandra, Virginia.
You can view Marlene’s tribute or leave a message at the Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home web site: https://www.everlywheatley.com/ Due to the current situation the community is dealing with as part of COVID-19, services will be private and reserved for immediate family only at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Alexandra, Virginia.
