Marilyn Joyce Marshall
September 29, 1942 - June 16, 2024
Obituary
Marilyn Joyce Marshall was a one-of-a-kind woman in a million different ways. Everyone who met her knew she loved to talk. She could make conversation with anyone and everyone! But, what people might not know is that Marilyn truly listened. She wanted to hear your hopes and dreams. She wanted to know what you were passionate about and what you truly loved. She was curious! Curious about you and why you thought the way you did. But most of all, she was your biggest cheerleader. Whatever you told her, she would always say, “Well, I think that’s just fabulous!”
She loved her family and her hometown of Sioux City, Iowa. She was born on September 29, 1942, to her loving parents, the late Lonnie Mack Marshall and Evelyn Mae Bridges Marshall. The family welcomed Marilyn’s baby sister, Linda (Marshall) Klein, just a few years later, and an unbreakable bond of sisterhood was forged. If you spent any time with Marilyn, you’d no doubt hear about her beloved little sister, Linda, and Linda’s husband, Mel, whom Marilyn affectionately called a “mensch.” Marilyn was a devoted Auntie and absolutely adored her niece Eden Marshall Halprin, Eden’s fiancé, Andrew Barajas, and her grandnephew, Andrew Bonner.
Marilyn grew up in a small town, but her talent and curiosity took her around the world. She graduated from Sioux City Central High School in 1960, and the University of Nebraska in 1964, and pursued her love of design at Hallmark Cards, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri, where she worked for 15 years. When she moved to Seattle, Washington, she taught herself how to create fabric designs and worked for Design Resources, Inc. for a few years. Subsequently, she made interior design her life’s work. She designed commercial and residential projects for many years, not to mention all of the free work she did for every person in her life who would ask for her opinion on everything from weddings to first homes. Her taste was impeccable.
Marilyn spent 42 years sharing her life and creating a family with Miguel Avena, whom she lovingly referred to as her “Hache Be.” Marilyn was “Bonus Mom” to Miguel’s children: Stephan (Elizabeth) Avena; Cinnimin Avena; Davah Avena (Juan) Donis. And, she was “Grammy Mare Mare” to her three Bonus Grandkids: Nicolas Avena; Josef Avena; and Viviana Donis. She relished being a grandma and delighted in spending time with them. She leaves behind Miguel’s big, loud and crazy Mexican side of the extended family…where she fit right in!
Marilyn had a true love for animals. As a child, she had a cocker spaniel/black Labrador mix named Penny. Later, she adopted a sweet calico cat named Bouhaka (Bou for short). Finally, she and Miguel raised two fur babies, a tailless cat named Lulu Belle and a poodle mix named Zoomi Monsoon Gypsy Princess.
Marilyn passed away peacefully in the Seattle home she shared with Miguel on June 16, 2024. Her spirit and rich legacy live on in the indelible way she enriched our lives and made us better people. She loved beautiful things: art; fashion; interior design; the color black; a pop of red nail polish; a signature jade ring; and the way all of those things made her feel. She was beautiful inside and out, and she saw beauty in everything and everyone. That is the memory we will carry on with us, and, we “think that’s just fabulous!”
I love you and miss you very much!
We love you Mucho Mucho Mucho Grammy Mare Mare!!!!
Iconic. Influencer. Cheerleader. I think of you all the time and just yesterday as I ended up with rattan chairs that I plan to refinish and I with you were here to give me advice! #whatwouldmarilyndo is how I will always live my design life!
We all love Marylin, classy, gorgeous, smart and loved to talk. She always had a big smile for everyone and was a good hugger. We will miss her. I’m sure my dad already greeted her and said…Sombrilla!
Marilyn’s exquisite taste in gifts became a coveted and fought for item at our Christmas white elephant games. I’m
sure she spent hours carefully curating what she would purchase and bring to the party (while Miguel waited, and waited…). We could tell which box or gift bag was hers just by the unique wrapping paper, ribbon choice, gold or black bag. She made everything look so special!
What is a , “AUNTIECORN?” The answer, My Tia Marilyn. Marilyn was such a magical magnificent force in my life that the impact of her presence and love in my life, can only be described as something, other worldly. She had a supernatural ability to love and appreciate beauty in all forms. She is and forever will be such a part of me. Marilyn always told me that she loved me as much if not more than a daughter of her own and it certainly felt that way to me. I loved her with all my heart and being and I will proudly carry the Marshall last name and her legacy. I carry her with me everywhere I go.
Marilyn was a true gem. People can overuse the phrase “one-of-a-kind” to describe a person. But Marilyn was, in my humble opinion, truly one-of-a-kind. She was someone who had such a vast knowledge about so many things, reflecting the insatiable curiosity she had.
She was one of the most thoughtful, kind, and supportive people I’ve ever met. If you ever needed some advice or someone to lean on, she was there. Always.
She really could strike up a conversation with anyone. I will never forget the first Christmas I spent with the family where she had my grandfather fully engaged in a friendly discussion. My grandfather, a more quiet and introverted man by nature, couldn’t say enough nice things about her after meeting her.
I will miss her terribly. Her love of rabbits is something that rubbed off on me over the years. She felt that whenever you saw one, it was a sign of good things to come. Now, whenever I see a rabbit, I like to think of Marilyn and that something good will happen that day.