Marilyn Sestak

Marilyn Sestak, age 75, of Tabor, passed away Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at her home in rural Tabor. Visitation will be Tuesday, September 1st, from 5:00-7:00 pm with a 7:00 wake service at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Tabor. Marilyn’s Funeral Mass will be 10:30 am, Wednesday, September 2 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Tabor with Rev. Darin Schmidt officiating. Burial will follow at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery in Tabor. Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Marilyn Kay Teply was born on August 20, 1951 to Henry and Rose (Plavec) Teply in Tyndall, SD and raised on a farm southwest of Tabor. She attended country school and graduated from Tabor High School in 1968. After high school, Marilyn attended Southern State College in Springfield and graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Education with a Secretarial emphasis in 1971.

Marilyn married Gary Sestak, the love of her life, during a beautiful windy day on April 17, 1971 at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Tyndall, SD. Following Gary’s time in the military, Gary and Marilyn moved to Sioux Falls, SD where she spent 7 years working at Lutheran Social Services, before moving back to her family’s farm by Tabor in 1978 and raise a family. After all the children were in school, Marilyn went to work at Coyote Sports in Tabor until 1996. She then spent 25 years in the insurance business in Tyndall before retiring in 2021.

Marilyn and Gary were blessed with three children, two grandchildren, and 52 beautiful years together.

Marilyn was very active in the community. She was a member of FCSLA (formerly Catholic Workman), National Catholic Society of Foresters, Tyndall Chamber, and held officer positions in the Altar & Rosary Society in Tabor.

Marilyn found joy in the simple pleasures of everyday life. She loved baking and cooking, tending to her garden, and the meaningful connections she made throughout her career in insurance sales. Above all, her family was her world, and she especially cherished every moment spent with her children and grandchildren.

Her life was deeply enriched by her friendships and the close bond she shared with her sister, Cathy. Living nearby, Cathy brought immense happiness to Marilyn's life - highlighted by a truly unforgettable trip they took to Hawaii together last year.

Sharing a love for travel and adventure, Marilyn and Gary were wonderful partners on the road. Marilyn was always ready for a motorcycle ride, and the two of them loved seizing any chance to explore, make new memories, and share a playful laugh, especially when Gary was teasing her.

Her memory will always be cherished by her son, Corey (Katherine) Sestak, Sioux Falls, SD; daughter, Kristin (Christopher) Schuch, Tabor, SD; grandchildren, Lauren and Olivia Sestak, Sioux Falls, SD; sister, Cathy (Dan) Lucas, Tabor, SD; and many nieces and nephews.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband, Gary Sestak; Ryan Sestak (son); Henry Teply (father); Rose Teply (mother); Francis Teply (infant brother); and Larry Travnicek (brother-in-law).

Marilyn will be remembered as a loving wife, a wonderful mother, and a caring grandmother. She had a calm, gentle way about her, that was noticeable by everyone she met.

To send an online message to the family, please visit www.okfhc.com.