Mrs. Marilyn U. Rickard

February 7, 1937 — January 19, 2026

Marilyn Uthe Rickard, born in New York City on February 7, 1937, passed peacefully on January 19, 2026, in Indianapolis, surrounded by family and prayers of love. She was 88.

The daughter of Olga Henzler and Carl Walter, Marilyn lived a life shaped by education, faith, music, and art—and by a deep, steady love for family. She was a devoted Lutheran whose faith anchored her life, and whose mother and grandmother were guiding lights throughout her years.

Marilyn earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Wagner College. She later received her Master of Science in Education and Guidance and Counseling from Indiana University, where she also met her husband, Scott Rickard.

She dedicated over three decades to elementary education, teaching in New York, Indiana, Oregon, California, and Maryland. Her longest and most cherished role was as a third-grade teacher at the McDonogh School in Maryland, where generations of students remember her as that teacher, the one who made a difference. Many former students still recall her warmth, encouragement, and the lasting impression she left, even decades later.

A lifelong lover of the beauty of sound and sight, Marilyn’s passions included classical music, opera, poetry, and the visual arts. Beethoven held a special place in her heart, and her love of music began early. She played the violin and performed at Carnegie Hall as a child. She later passed that love of music, the arts, and learning on to her children, grandchildren, and students.

Marilyn adored poetry, particularly the works of Robert Frost. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening was her favorite, and she encouraged her third-graders, and her own children, to memorize it, a tradition many of her students still remember fondly.

She also had a deep appreciation for painting and the arts, especially the Impressionists, with Monet among her favorites. Her interests extended broadly and joyfully: symphony, opera, foreign films, book clubs, and art. She served on many committees, including Friends of the Library, and as both an Art and Symphony Docent, often taking on leadership roles.

Travel was another great passion. Marilyn proudly visited all 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska, and traveled extensively throughout Europe and beyond. She delighted in learning, culture, and staying connected to the wider world.

Above all, Marilyn was one of the most positive and loving people her family knew. She was the person you called just to hear her voice and to feel her encouragement, her optimism, and how proud she was. She took deep joy in her children and grandchildren, and her love for them was constant and unmistakable. From heaven, she is surely watching with that same pride and joy.

Marilyn is survived by her loving daughter Katherine Benson and son Scott Rickard Jr; their spouses Charles Benson and Elva O’Sullivan; her sister Carole Somol and her husband Edward Somol; and her cherished grandchildren (Katelyn, Jacob, & Tyler Benson; Loghlen, Luke, & Leah Rickard), who were the great joys of her life.

She will be remembered with gratitude, affection, and deep love by all who were lucky enough to learn from her, know her, or call her family.

The Celebration of Life ceremony will also be livestreamed.