Marie Georgine “Oma” Ouwens

Marie Georgine “Oma” Ouwens

May 22, 1939 – September 20, 2025

Marie Georgine “Oma” Ouwens, 86, of Rochester, WI, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Aurora Medical Center in Burlington. She was born May 22, 1939, in Lawang, Malang Regency, East Java, Indonesia (formerly the Dutch East Indies), to Patina and Ferdinand Schoonderwal.As a child, Marie lived through the Japanese Invasion and Occupation of the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) during WWII (1942–1945), surviving with the care of her grandmother while many of her family members were taken prisoner and sent to labor camps. Despite these hardships, she went on to live a life full of resilience, love, and laughter.

In the years that followed, she met and married Bernard “Bernie” Ouwens, who preceded her in death in 1993. In 1958, Marie and Bernie immigrated by ship to The Netherlands for a fresh start on life. In 1962, they immigrated again to the United States, settling in Milwaukee before making their home in Rochester, where they raised eight children.

Marie was proud of her Dutch-Indonesian heritage and was known for her phenomenal cooking, especially her famous lumpia and holiday soto ayam. She had a lifelong love of animals, especially cats, gardening with her flowers admired by friends and strangers alike, and a gift for nurturing children. She also had a great love for music and dancing, especially the songs of Elvis Presley.

She is survived by her eight children: Humphrey Ouwens of Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Laura (Ralph) Gollnick of Genoa City; Flora (William) Nietfeldt of Elkhorn; Clara Ouwens of Burlington; Deborah (Larry) Heinz of Pittsboro, IN; Jeffery Ouwens (Harlan Ferstl) of Milwaukee; Barbara (David) Ouwens Goff of Burlington; and Godfrey (Sharon) Ouwens of Fox Lake. She is further survived by eight grandchildren: Angela (Todd) Sikowski of Port Washington; Alexandrea (Adam) Dahlstrom of Delavan; Tyler (Taylor) Goff of Waterford; Allen (Audrey) Gollnick of Genoa City; Jaclyn (Michael) Ficcaglia of Indianapolis, IN; Kasondra Gollnick of Genoa City; Miranda (Kain) Heinz of Indianapolis, IN; and Alexander Ouwens of Racine. She also leaves behind seven great-grandchildren: Kendall, Payton, and Brooke Sikowski; Aaron and Jude Dahlstrom; and Deklan and Monroe Jo Goff. Marie will also be deeply missed by many dear friends and extended family.

A private family service will be held.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Aurora Medical Center of Burlington and Mealy-Stencel Funeral Home for their compassionate care.