Maralyn "Sonny" Ingwell Gilleland

Maralyn Ingwell "Sonny" Gilleland

Of Middleton, WI

Died peacefully on March 17, 2023

Sonny was born on June 30, 1925, to Walter and Mary (nee Kendhammer) Proksch in LaCrosse, WI. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where she met and later married Clifford Ingwell. They had two daughters; Mary Beth Gonzales (grandsons Tony and Lukas) and Karen Weltzin (Ted). When Cliff passed away in 1958, Sonny continued to raise her daughters as a single parent: teaching them downhill skiing at the local ski hills, encouraging them to take up golf, organizing endless family vacations and travel and putting them through college. During these years, Sonny went on to earn her Master's degree from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul. She worked many years as an educator in the St. Paul Public School System and ended her career as a director of the St Paul Technical and Vocational School. Upon retirement, Sonny remarried to Wayne "Lefty" Gilleland. They spent the next 18 years wintering in Sun Lakes, AZ: golfing, enjoying family get-togethers and socializing with their many friends. During the summer months, Sonny judged pies and jellies at the Minnesota State Fair, one of her favorite activities. Growing up in the Proksch home in LaCrosse, German was the spoken second language. Later in life, Sonny signed up for Ancestry.com and was informed that she was 96% German. Her response was, "For God's sake, I could have told them that!" So proud of her German heritage, we say goodbye to Sonny with: "Prost, to a life well-lived!" Sonny was preceded in death by: her parents and husbands; a brother Ervin, who was killed in action in Italy during WW II (34th Red Bull Infantry Division) and was posthumously awarded the Silver Star; and her beloved sister Elaine Betty Richtman (Neal) of De Pere, WI. In addition to her daughters, Sonny is survived by the Gilleland children: Wayne, Jr., Barbara (Greg), Mary (David), Jim (Beth), John (Nancy), Beth (Jonathan) and Nancy; as well as several grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. A very special thanks to the amazing staff and volunteers at Attic Angel Community and Agrace Hospice, both of whom provided compassionate care for Sonny during her last years. Family ask that a contribution in Sonny's memory may be made to Attic Angel Community, 8301 Old Sauk Rd., Middleton, WI 53562 or Agrace Hospice Foundation, 5395 E. Cheryl Pkwy., Madison, WI 53711. Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 14, beginning at 11am at the Roseville Memorial Chapel, 2245 Hamline Ave. N. with reception to follow. 

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