Marna Catherine Thimmesch, 83, of Galena, IL passed away peacefully at home on Friday, July 9, 2021. A gathering for friends and family will be held from 2 to 4:30 PM on Saturday, July 17, 2021, at the Furlong Funeral Chapel, Galena A short family lead service will be at the conclusion of the gathering. A Celebration of Life will be held at Grant Park, Galena following the service. Burial will be at a later date. Cremation rites have been accorded. She was born in Minneapolis, MN on October 25, 1937, to Jen and Carlyle Peterson. She spent her younger years traveling and working in places, such as Sun Valley, ID, and Glacier Park, MT, always encouraging her children and grandchildren to follow their curiosities and amazement of the world. Marna earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota and began her career in the Twin Cities. She met Frank Thimmesch playing tennis, and they were married on October 22, 1966. After starting their family in St. Paul, MN, they moved to Galena in 1980, where they lived for the remainder of their lives. Together they embraced a role working for the Jo Daviess County Workshop for people with disabilities. Frank was the director and Marna the manager of the Gifted Drummer, a retail store that provided an outlet for selling goods created by the clients. She later shifted to working as a social worker at The Workshop, where Marna spent 37 years and found her second family. She worked in a symbiotic relationship with the clients; often sharing lessons she learned at work about appreciating life and happiness. Marna always found the positive in a situation and shared this wisdom with an ever-growing circle of family and friends. She was known for her light and unconditional love, a gift given to those who knew her. Her gentle and nurturing spirit touched many like a soft summer rain. This legacy will live on. Surviving are her children, Jason (Jennelle) Thimmesch, Susie (Rick) Godfrey, Mary, Katherine (Eric Balayti) Thimmesch, Jennifer (Jeff) Nissen, and Ellen (Nathan) Jenkins, and twenty-one grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, and a brother, Bob Peterson. A memorial fund has been established for The Workshop in memory of Marna.