Marlene Walsh Wolford

Ashen Piety By Marlene Walsh Wolford

Marlene was a daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother. She was a Christian. She was a friend and neighbor. She was a student of life and an artist.

She lived life on her own terms. She was unapologetic.

Marlene’s life, much like most of us, was filled with contradictions and challenges. She was at times happy and angry. Poor and rich. Married and divorced. Lost and then found. Through all this the one constant in her life was her relationship with the Lord. She trusted God in all matters. Truth was revealed to her every day as she read her Bible. Her faith guided her down her life path.

She saw the world through the eyes of an artist. Alone in her studio with classical music filling every corner of the room. Sometimes Beethoven. Sometimes Haydn. Sometimes Brahms. With brushes in hand, filled with inspiration and vision, she would paint. This was Marlene at her best.

Amazingly, she carried her creative gift to the kitchen. She blended flavors and textures as skillfully as she put paint on canvas and did it as well as any master chef. Many who were lucky enough to enjoy meals prepared by Marlene remember them as some of the best they ever had.

Marlene lived in many places with her husband Paul, including Germany, where she quickly learned to speak, read and write the local language. She was able to meet and make good friends with her German neighbors, some of whom remained in contact until her passing. After Germany, the next stop for her and Paul was Colorado Springs and a home a short distance from the Garden of the Gods. Garden of the Gods was a place Marlene visited often because she felt so very close to God as she walked amongst the massive sandstone formations.

While in Colorado, Paul and Marlene came to love Paul’s Harley. The many miles they covered left them with treasured memories of the mountain rides.

They left Colorado and moved to Indiana. This move brought Marlene close to her Mother who lived only walking distance from Paul and Marlene’s new home. Marlene and her Mother spent many days together shopping, walking, talking and most often laughing. This time together brought much joy to both.

The move to Indiana also brought Marlene in closer proximity to her sisters Trish and Teri, her daughter Melissa, her son Jason, her daughter-in-law Susan and her four grandchildren, Michael, Montana, Cheyenne, and Dakota. This provided the opportunity for Marlene and Jason to see each other often. They shared their love of the Lord and classical music especially violin concertos.

Marlene and Jason, of course, shared a passion for food and drink. A good chardonnay for Marlene and a fine specialty brew for Jason. They had fun visiting many pubs and breweries. They fell in love with the Oakwood Inn on Lake Wawasee where they often visited to just chill and, on occasion, share with family. Marlene and Jason shared a closeness that we should all hope to have at some point in our lives.

As we say goodbye to Marlene, until we meet again, we invite you to share your memories of her. Doing so will bring us all closer together as we mourn her passing.