Marilyn O'Hara

In the early morning of January 15, 2021, Marilyn Ruth O’Hara was welcomed into the loving arms of her God. Marilyn died peacefully at home in Kenora, Ontario at the age of 72. She is predeceased by her parents, Rollin and Elma Reimer, and her brother-in-law, Thorbjorn Ruud Larsen II. Marilyn will be deeply missed by her two loving daughters, Erin O’Hara (Cory Oldford) and Meghan O’Hara (Rick Hermann), and by her cherished granddaughter, Mya Hermann. Marilyn is remembered with love by her siblings, Judith Larsen of Bethesda, Maryland, Rob Reimer (Sylvia) of Steinbach, Manitoba, and Susan Zacharias (Kel) of Winnipeg, Manitoba. She will be missed by seven beautiful nieces, Morgen Carillo (Jared), Allison Larsen (Tim O’Connor), Taylor Larsen, Mandy Reimer (Klayton Sadlowski), Jessica Reimer (Tyrel Wiebe), Jill Sawatzky (Chris), and Amy Zacharias.

Marilyn was born in Steinbach, Manitoba in 1948. In 1954, six-year old Marilyn boarded a Dutch steamship docked at Halifax, Nova Scotia and joined her parents and younger sister, Judy, on their first voyage to Ethiopia with Sudan Interior Mission. The steamship encountered Hurricane Hazel shortly after setting sail, but safely delivered the young family to Africa a month later. While their parents tended to their mission duties “down country”, Marilyn and Judy spent their childhood years living and studying at Bingham Academy in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. Marilyn was a natural academic, and also showed musical talent on the piano and violin. At the age of 14, Marilyn memorized 1,500 verses of the King James Bible, reciting them in a single three-hour sitting at Bingham.

At the age of 15, Marilyn returned to Canada to continue her studies, completing high school and later studying History and French at the University of Winnipeg. Upon her university graduation, she received the Gold Medal in History. After marrying Harry O’Hara in 1971, Marilyn pursued a professional career, serving first as Recording Secretary of the University of Winnipeg Senate and then as Secretary to the President of the University of Winnipeg, Dr. Henry E. Duckworth. Marilyn flourished during her five years working with Dr. Duckworth, lending her superb intellectual, interpersonal, and professional skills to support his university leadership. Marilyn and Harry welcomed their first daughter, Erin, in 1978 and then moved to Kenora, Ontario, shortly before the birth of their second daughter, Meghan, in 1980.

Marilyn had many gifts. She spent several years working in adult literacy and assisted many new Canadians in learning English. Marilyn loved to knit, and created and sold her colourful scarves for many years. Marilyn also loved literature and languages, favouring classic novels and well-crafted mysteries for her bookshelf. In the summer of 2019, fifty years after her last university French class, Marilyn stunned all those present by striking up a conversation in French with a visiting family from Rennes, France.

Marilyn was adored by her daughters and cherished by her large extended family and several close friends. Marilyn’s final years were illuminated by the joyful presence of her granddaughter, Mya, with whom she built a strong and lasting bond. Marilyn was gentle, clever, gracious, and kind. She held an unwavering faith in her God, and it is in His loving arms she now rests.

The family wishes to thank staff members of Kenora’s ACT Team and Community Support Services for their years of support and assistance. A private family burial is taking place in Steinbach, Manitoba. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that charitable donations in memory of Marilyn O’Hara be sent by cheque to St. Louis Living Arts School, P.O. Box 520, Keewatin ON, P0X 1C0.

Arrangements are entrusted to Birchwood Funeral Home in Steinbach, Manitoba.

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