Former Marshfield Mayor Passes Away
Monday, December 2nd, 2019 -- 9:35 AM
(WDLB) -Memorial services will be held this weekend for former Marshfield Mayor and MACCI Director Marilyn Hardacre. The city's first, and only, female Mayor died Friday at the age of 84.Hardacre was on the job for less than two weeks when former WDLB News Director Thom Gerretsen moved to Marshfield in the spring of 1978, and started covering city government. Gerretsen remembers Hardacre as someone who had a big heart, big dreams and big accomplishments. After two terms on the Marshfield Common Council, Hardacre was elected the city's Mayor in April of 1978, and held that post for four terms, stepping down in 1986. She often said her most notable contributions as Mayor were improvement of local streets, industrial park development, bringing organizational efficiency to government, and improving recreational and housing opportunities. Hardacre also influenced the state to make Highway 10 a four-lane divided highway from Marshfield to the Fox Cities. Gerretsen says linking Marshfield to the outside world was probably Hardacre's biggest vision.
After her service as Mayor, Marilyn served as the Executive Director of the Marshfield Development Corporation and subsequently the Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry until 1997. A Memorial Service for Marilyn Hardacre will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, December 7, at Zion Methodist Church in Marshfield. Friends may call at the Hansen-Schilling Funeral Home on Friday from 4-to-7 p-m, and at the church on Saturday from 10 a-m until service time.
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