Marilyn Mae Garwood

Marilyn was born on April 5, 1937 to Clarence and Betty (Treat) Walter in St. Paul, MN. During WWII, Clarence was a physician in the Navy and was stationed in the Aleutian Islands. While he was there, Betty and the kids moved to California. With the exception of this short stay in California, Marilyn was a life-long resident of Minnesota. She attended Carleton College and the University of Minnesota to become an RN. Most of her nursing career was spent providing home healthcare. She started out traveling to patients' homes and ended up as the Director Wilder Foundation Services to the Elderly Wilder Home Health Agency - a not for profit organization. But caring for others wasn't limited to her professional career. Marilyn was one of the "founding mothers" of the Sheltering Arms Foundation - a non-profit organization whose mission is to "invest in the lives of Minnesota's children" and which seeks "to create equal access to resources in order to build a just society in which all children may reach their full potential." In the words of the Foundation, these founding mothers were a group of four women who "were extraordinary risk-takers, deliberate and courageous." Marilyn served on the Sheltering Arms board for 15 years and served as President in 1985 and 1986. Since 1983, the foundation has awarded over 1,200 grants, totaling over $16 million. She was a member of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, which later became St. Anne's, for over 50 years. She was always in the choir and served on the vestry for many of those years filling all available vestry positions, some of them multiple times. But her most treasured responsibility at St. Anne's was her post-retirement role of Parish Nurse. She visited those who were at home recuperating or in the nursing home, provided care to those in need, and promoted wellness of body and spirit to any congregant who asked for her help. She loved St. Anne's. Everyone there was her family. It was her home and she cared for the building and the community and the people, both in her heart and in her actions. When she was no longer able to join her family at the church, her church family came to her. Even after Parkinson's diminished her ability to communicate and severely limited her mobility, Marilyn wanted to help others. She requested to sit with her fellow residents after they entered hospice to provide comfort and care at the end of their lives. She did this until just a few weeks before she entered hospice herself. Caring for others was core to her being. It was her ministry to the world. In her home life, she enthusiastically supported her children's dreams. She was always pragmatic (as a good Minnesotan should be!) but there were no limits. Dare to dream, but have a good plan. Her husband, David, had career dreams that were met through his children - astronomer (Bob), musician (Steve), and historian (Sue). In one late night family conversation, Marilyn said, "Sometimes, I wonder what my children got from me." The response, without hesitation, was "Common sense, mom. Common sense." Marilyn was a Cub Scout den mother. She learned to play the ‘cello when Steve took up the instrument. She supported multiple fundraising and other events for the high school orchestra while all three kids were involved. As one long-time friend put it upon learning of her passing, "She was mom to the whole high school orchestra." She volunteered regularly at the Rice County Historical Society where her daughter Sue is Director. She was also active in American Association of University Women and assisted with their annual book sale. She played the piano. She loved to camp and go for walks. She loved to garden - her irises, rhubarb, cherry tomatoes, and green beans were welcome marvels every summer. She made fruitcake and cheese-spread balls every Christmas. A family tradition included piling into the car and hand delivering them to friends around the cities. Any opportunity to see and spend time with friends was cherished. And yes, people liked the fruitcake and ate it. Probably because of the good soaking in rum each loaf got before being delivered. Marilyn died on Sunday, February 9th, 2020. She gave so much more to the world than she took. She was a Good Person who was loved by so many. Her legacy is in the hearts of the many people she touched. She is survived by children Robert (Rochelle), Stephen (Lisa), and Susan; grandchildren DJ, Noah, Jacob,Laurel, and Willow; brother Jim (Donna) Walter, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, David, and her parents. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 7th, 11:00am, at St. Anne's Episcopal Church, 2035 Charlton Rd., Sunfish Lake, MN followed by lunch. In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. Anne's are preferred. Memorial service Saturday, March 7, 11:00am, at St. Anne's Episcopal Church, 2035 Charlton Rd., Sunfish Lake, MN followed by lunch. In lieu of flowers memorials to St. Anne's are preferred.