Marilyn Edna Botkin

The family moved to Stillwater, MN in 1935. Growing up, she loved to read books and ride horses. She graduated from Stillwater High School in 1949. She then attended the University of Minnesota, where she received her bachelor’s degree in English and Library Science. After working locally for a year, she took off on the train to Glasgow, MT where she had a job waiting for her as high school librarian.

The year she moved to Glasgow, she met the meat cutter, Ched Botkin, whom she fell in love with and married on June 9, 1955.

They had three children, all born in Glasgow, and in 1964, they transferred with Buttrey Foods to Twin Falls, ID.

When the youngest child was in first grade, Marilyn went to work as the librarian at Jerome High School. She retired in 1990. Marilyn and Ched loved to play bridge and travel. They even had a book that listed all the duplicate bridge games across the country so they could play wherever they were traveling. They loved to travel to visit their children and grandchildren and would spend winters in Lake Havasu, AZ where they spent time with Marilyn’s sister, Elaine.

After Ched died in 2002, Marilyn continued to travel. She loved to go to North Carolina to see her grandchildren, and Minnesota to visit her sisters and brothers. She also went on several cruises with close friends.

She volunteered in the hospital gift shop and volunteered with AARP doing taxes. She loved participating in Bible Studies at her church, Our Savior Lutheran in Twin Falls.

Marilyn grew up knowing the love of Jesus. She was baptized as an infant and attended the Lutheran church all of her life. Her faith life was very important to her. As one of her nieces said, “I really think she is what Jesus wants all of us to be”.

The last several years, Marilyn traveled to Davenport, WA to spend the holidays with her daughter and son-in-law.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband, Ched, mother and father, Emma and Herman Knefelkamp; sisters Vera (Harold) Johnson and Elaine (Al) Krueger; brother, Norman (Kay) Knefelkamp and son-in-law, Stacey Friedlein.

Marilyn is survived by her brother Delmer (LaVonne) Knefelkamp, her three children: Jerry (Tamra) Botkin, Dennis Botkin (Mary Hogan), and Susie Friedlein. Also survived by grandchildren, Brady (Erica) Botkin, Corky (Ashley) Botkin, Joseph Laskey and Joshua Laskey; great grandchildren, Kinsley, Talan and Finn.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 20, 2024 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 464 Carriage Lane North, Twin Falls, ID. 83301.

Memorials can be made to Our Savior Lutheran Church or a charity of choice.