Marina (Myke) Horst passed away peacefully in her sleep during the morning of June 25, 2026 and is now with her beloved husband, parents and five other siblings. Marina was born November 13, 1948 in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. She was the 7th out of 12 children of Harold and Mary Fitzsimmons. She started her schooling at a one-room country school, Pine Grove School, and then transferred to Dodgeville Elementary School, and then Dodgeville High School graduating in 1966.
Marina started working that summer as a secretary at Schappe-Pontiac Inc. in Madison WI. She then went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked as a Secretary/Typist at the Department of Food Sciences. Several years later, she transferred as a Technical Typist to the Department of Dairy Sciences where she met the love of her life, Ron Horst (graduate student working on his PhD). Marina and Ron met in 1971 and married in 1973. Later she became Medical Secretary at the Bone & Joint Surgery Association, Madison, WI. In 1977, she and Ron moved to Huxley, IA where he accepted a position at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, IA. It was then that Marina began her career as a medical transcriptionist, a career which she reveled in. Marina and Ron had three wonderful girls, Jaime in 1978, Emily in 1979, and Anna in 1986. In 1987 the family moved to Ames, into their dream home, where they resided until 2011, leaving it to their daughter Jaime (Matt) and her family to thrive in.
Marina was the ultimate mom—she loved to cook and bake for her family, including her infamous pickles and pistachio torte. While raising her children, there was always a puzzle being worked on, a love she has passed on to her family. She was constantly driving her girls and their friends around. She also instilled a love of animals to her family. Her girls always had several pets growing up, including hamsters that would find their way out of their cages. She left behind her beloved mini chihuahua doxy mix, Sammy.
Marina will be remembered for her unwavering big heart and caring, special love given to those who needed it, and by those who knew her for her warmth and caring for others, her love for nieces and nephews who no longer had a mom when her siblings passed away, and her uncanny sense of humor, always making a cute or mischievous joke about something and getting others to laugh. Oh, will she be missed.
Marina is survived by three daughters: Jaime (Matt) Wandling and Emily (Jacob) Thom, Ames, IA and Anna Horst of Oakview, CA. Also grandchildren, Troy and Reid Wandling, and Aiden and Marshall Bybee. Also siblings: Betty (Ron) Dotseth, Oshkosh WI; Laura Linder, Dodgeville WI; Henry (Kathy) Fitzsimmons, Surprise AZ and Nekoosa WI; Margie (John) Martin, Verona WI; Linda (Dan) Hooks, Owen WI; and Edith Fitzsimmons, Oregon WI. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, especially Dana (Klint) Stagner, Kole, and Paisley, of Cadiz, KY, and Stacy (Jay) Heisig, Kylie and Sunday of Barneveld, WI.
Marina was preceded in death by her beloved husband Ron 5/23/19, her parents, Mary and Harold, along with siblings Pete Fitzsimmons, Peggy Kilbreth, Doug (Adele) Fitzsimmons, Mary Abdoo, and Joe (Donelle) Fitzsimmons, and Andy Fitzsimmons (pre-born), and nephews Rick Kilbreth, Bill Pertborn, Jr, Bradley Pertzborn, and Walter Linder.
Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m., July 6, 2027 at Steven’s Memorial Chapel, 607 28th St., Ames, IA. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. on July 7 at St. Cecelia Catholic Church, 2900 Hoover Ave, Ames, IA, and burial will be at Ames Municipal Cemetery, Ames, IA.