Marilyn "Wood" Louise Thompson Saunders

Our sweet, generous, funny, kind, God-loving Grammie has passed. She was surrounded by the ones she loved most and smiled when she saw the face of Jesus. If only all of us could be as blessed as she, to go into the arms of the Lord without pain or suffering, and live in Paradise for eternity. Grammie was born on September 24, 1934 in Los Banos, California to Edwin Arthur Thompson and Thelma Hanagan Thompson. She had an older brother, Jimmy Thompson (deceased), baby sister Karen May (deceased) and little brother Dennis Thompson. She also had an adopted sister, Patricia Polk Watkins, and a brother, Robert (Bobby) Polk. Marilyn grew up in Newhall, California during the great depression and often told stories of wearing clothing made of potato sacks. She had many childhood friends, some that she remained in contact with until she died. While attending San Fernando High School, she met a neighbor boy named John Knox Saunders and they married shortly after in 1953. She became a mother with the birth of her son, Bruce Arthur Saunders, in 1954 and again with the birth of her daughter, Sherrie Linn Saunders (Brooks) in 1957. Her children were her greatest joy. Both her son and daughter held very different and special places in her heart and she constantly bragged about their accomplishments and was so proud of them even until her last days. Marilyn took great pride in raising her children, but once they were in junior high, she returned to school to become a hair-dresser. She was able to purchase her own beauty shop in 1980 in Kernville, California. She later sold her beauty shop and moved to Idaho in 2002 to be closer to her daughter, Sherrie. While living in Caldwell, she was a long-time volunteer at the West Valley Medical Center gift shop, and a member of the Eastern Star and Lady of the Elks. While volunteering at the hospital, she loved visiting with all the nurses that would come down to buy candy, and she never missed an opportunity to brag about her granddaughter, Abbie, a registered nurse working in the operating room in Boise. Our Grammie loved life. She had a wicked quick sense of humor, a smile that lit up the room, and a heart as big as the endless ocean waves. She loved her flower garden and took great pride in her irises, crocus, and tulips. In fact, her little house in Caldwell attracted many people that would stop in their cars or during their walks to smell and admire her iris garden. She was a rock hound and loved to bring home a memorable stone from wherever she visited. Grammie was honest, true, compassionate, and loved her family and friends beyond measure. She loved music and loved to dance – she didn’t even need a partner to get up and boogie! Marilyn was preceded in death by both her parents, siblings: Jimmy and Karen, and her husband John. She leaves behind her son, Bruce Saunders and his wife Charlene, and her daughter, Sherrie Brooks and her husband Fred. She also leaves five granddaughters: Kristia Pfeifer and her husband Toby, Julia Saunders, Michelle Saunders, Kimberly DeJong and her husband Steve, and Abbie Brooks; and ten great-grandchildren. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” John 14:1-2 Service Information