Marilyn Martin

Marilyn Martin was born in Caldwell, Idaho, on August 2, 1938, to Clarence V. and Mildred T. Martin, joining an older sister, Mary Ann. She passed away in Meridian, Idaho, on November 16, 2021. Marilyn grew up in Caldwell attending school at Lincoln Elementary, Washington Junior High, and Caldwell High School. She also attended Boise Junior College in 1956 and The College of Idaho for 3 years.

Growing up, Marilyn took piano lessons and flute lessons. She was in the band in Junior High and High School. She also played cello briefly. As a child, she took dance lessons - tap and ballet - and enjoyed being in dance recitals. She worked hard and was able to do some dancing on her toes - a real achievement.

Marilyn especially enjoyed all of the classes in high school and college that pertained to office work. She worked for the Chamber of Commerce in Caldwell and for the radio station, KCID. In 1961, she moved to Albany, Oregon, where she was hired by First Federal Savings and Loan where she worked for nearly 20 years. She left Albany to return to Caldwell in the early 80’s. There she worked at the Christian Church for several years traveling with members to Israel. That is where she learned to play hand bells and embraced that musical endeavor with enthusiasm.

Even as a child she was good at embroidery as well as sewing her own clothes. She added to that counted cross-stitch and hardanger both of which she was masterful. Also, while in Oregon she learned how to do oil painting - and mastered that as well.

When her nephew and niece were at the College of Idaho during the 1980s, she was their Idaho parent. The three of them remained very close from then on.

Both in Oregon and in Idaho, she was active in the Secretary’s Association serving as president in both. She was named “Secretary of the Year” in Oregon in 1967. She took and passed the exam to become a Certified Professional Secretary in 1969. The rating is comparable to the CPA rating for accountants.

She moved back to Caldwell after about 20 years in Oregon and was available to take care of our parents during their declining years when they had health problems. She worked for the First Christian Church, played in the bell choir and went on two trips to Israel with people she had met at the church. Following our parents’ deaths, she moved to Boise where in addition to employment at Safeco, the First Presbyterian Church, SAIC, and Cloverdale Funeral Home, she was active in Secretaries Association and Bible Study Fellowship.

Family was very important to Marilyn and was one of the reasons she returned to Idaho. She and her cousin Betty (they were more like sisters) worked together to plan several family reunions. She spent time with cousin Perry Silver researching the Turner family genealogy. She also had devoted time and effort to friends and relatives when they were in their declines.

Marilyn’s declining health was so gradual that her final crises came as a surprise to her family. She was well taken care of at Spring Creek Ustick Assisted Living Facility as well as Hospice during the last months.

She is and will be missed by her sister, Mary Ann, her nephew, Doug Jones, her niece, Becky Jones, and her brother-in-law, Gordy, as well as many cousins and friends.