Marlene Brown Woodfield was born in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. After graduation from Purdue University, she moved with her husband Ted to LaPorte County, Indiana. In 1965, she opened Children’s Village Nursery School and operated it for 26 years.
Marlene was always interested in art, and in 1976, she began learning the art of quilting. While many quilters choose traditional patterns, Marlene is highly-regarded for her innovative designs. Over the years, she has made many quilts and wall-hangings for her family, friends, competitions, commissions, and charity. She is particularly known for her pictorial and facial imagery quilted wall hangings which have won many awards on both the national and international level. Three of her quilts are listed the the Library of Congress, American Folk Life Center online collection; two of her quilts are in the Permanent Collection of the Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis; and she also has a quilt in the Permanent Collection of the American Quilter’s Society in Paducah, Kentucky. In August 2026, two of her award-winning quilts were donated in her memory to The Haan Museum of Indiana Art, Lafayette and Purdue University’s Department of Human Development & Family Science. In addition, her incredible works of art can be found in an array of other places across the country, including her church, the local hospital, and the homes of her family, friends, and others who respect and admire her work.
Marlene enjoyed sharing her love of quilting and taught numerous classes to help others learn her techniques for multifabric facial imagery and pictorial multifabric (charm) quilts.
She was a member of Dunes Country Quilters, Michigan City, IN; String-A-Long Quilt Guild, Valparaiso, IN; Indiana State Quilt Guild; American Quilter’s Society (AQS), National Quilting Association (NQA); and the International Quilt Association (AIQA).
Marlene was recognized in “Who’s Who in American Quilting”, published in 1996 by the American Quilter’s Society in Paducah, Kentucky.
This website documents her many quilts, her journey of quilting, and the stories behind the quilts.
On January 22, 2026 the Michigan City weekly newspaper The Beacher published the article “Passion and Purpose” by Kim Nowatzke with an expanded exploration of Marlene’s artistic journey.
Also by Kim Nowatzke is an article from 2004 about her award winning quilt “The Quilters”.
In addition to Marlene’s artistic endeavors, Marlene is also well known for running a preschool in Michigan City for 26 years. Here is an article from the Michigan City News Dispatch “Dream of Operating a Preschool Turned Into a 26 Year Reality” by Rosemary Shaw-Powell from 1990.
Marlene went to her heavenly home in July 2026, after living a long and full life. She wanted everyone to know how grateful she was for her loving parents, family, and friends. She also wanted everyone to know that she truly had a wonderful life, with no regrets.
Marlene will be remembered for her amazing gift of artistry – enabling her to see beauty all around her, envision creations that were truly remarkable, and then bring those visions to life in fabric. She was also blessed with a true passion and boundless energy for making the world a better place – instilling in young children a joy for learning, making quilts to raise funds for Alzheimer’s research, serving on the Habitat for Humanity Board, supporting the church’s soup kitchen, remembering the homebound with cards and calls, and so much more. Her obituary can be found here.
