Marilyn Kay Sullivan

Born January 9th, 1934 to Verner Parker and Gladys (Akers) Parker. Marilyn was a true Texan, from a panhandle ranching family. Born in Shattuck, Oklahoma, her early years were spent growing up in a three-room house on Wolf Creek (Lipscomb County). It was a rigorous, physical life with water drawn and carried by bucket, wood chopped for cooking and heat, but Marilyn’s memories were filled with joy of those times and family.

Marilyn was very anxious to join her two older sisters, Elaine and Dolphia, in school and started 1st grade when she was 5 years old. Her first school years were spent at Higgins and Follett schools. The family moved to Alpine when Marilyn started 6th grade because Verner wanted his kids to go to a “big city” school. Verner continued to ranch in the panhandle and Oklahoma (River Front Ranch in Arnett Oklahoma) and would join the family as often as possible.

After graduating from high school in 1951, Marilyn enrolled in Sul Ross but then transferred to Sam Houston State Teacher College in the Fall of ’52. Here she met Nolen Sullivan and, in her words, “the rest is history.”

Marilyn and Nolen had 5 children which kept them busy. They lived in Houma LA, Lafayette LA, Arcadia LA and Austin TX, before returning to their farm outside of Arcadia.

Marilyn loved her flowers and enjoyed working in her greenhouse on the farm and became the “poinsettia lady” at the George Edwards Nursery in Arcadia, LA for several years.

With the birth of her twin grandchildren, Kate and Parker, Marilyn moved to Austin in 2003 to assist Sheryl and Dean in the care of the twins and older brother Nolan. She was an absolute Godsend and will be remembered as feeding one twin in her lap while bouncing the other in their chair with her foot.

Marilyn is preceded in death by her parents, Verner and Gladys Parker, husband Nolen Sullivan, daughter Kay Kelly, sons Dain Sullivan, Trent Sullivan and Mark Sullivan, and sister Elaine Wilhelm. She is survived by her sisters Dolphia Blocker, Shirley Robinson, Janice Smith, brother Deryl Parker, daughter and son-in-law Sheryl and Dean Jett, grandchildren Nolan Jett, Kate Jett and Parker Jett, and son-in-law, Joe Kelly.