Marilyn Roberts

Marilyn Jean Roberts, 91, passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 in her Ormond Beach home surrounded by her family.

HER FAMILY

Born December 19,1929, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the late Agnes Weir Ormiston and Roy James Pratt, she was the oldest of three children. Marilyn’s sister, Carol Ann Pratt Maizel and brother, Roy James Pratt, Jr. preceded her in death.

THE EARLY YEARS

Marilyn lived in Pittsburgh and then Alliquippa, PA with her parents and maternal grandparents until the age of four when the family moved to Struthers, Ohio. Marilyn attended Struthers City public schools and graduated from Struthers High School in January of 1948. While attending high school, Marilyn also worked at St. Elizabeth Hospital as a dietary worker. In February of 1948 Marilyn entered Youngstown Hospital Association (YHA) School of Nursing in Youngstown, Ohio. After graduating in February of 1951, Marilyn did general duty nursing for a year prior to entering Youngstown College to work on her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. At the same time she entered college, she transferred to operating room (OR) nursing. Marilyn worked in the OR for approximately one year and then joined the faculty of the YHA School of Nursing as an Operating Room Instructor while continuing her college work. She was also an instructor in the Manpower Development Training Act Program for the Youngstown Public Schools.

A LOVE STORY

Marilyn met her husband of nearly 68 years when his family moved next door to hers in Struthers when they were both 11 years old. Bill and Marilyn played together as children and their families were friends, but as they moved toward their teen years they rather ignored each other and spoke infrequently or not at all. In January of 1951, Bill was inducted into the service and was stationed in Baltimore. One day when Bill was home on leave he saw Marilyn walking down the street to the library and he picked her up drove her to the library. They dated a few times before he went back to Baltimore where he began to write to her. Bill came home for a few short days around Christmas and they continued dating and continued writing. Shortly thereafter Bill was sent to Korea and then returned in March of 1953. They were engaged on October 24,1953 and then married on January 16, 1954. Marilyn and Bill had three children – Gale Ann, Cheryl Ann and William Jeffrey.

A LIFE OF SERVICE

Marilyn retired from nursing during the early years of child raising, but gradually began working part time as an instructor in the school of nursing and returning again to college where she still had a few hours to complete her degree. She transferred from nursing education to nursing administration and was appointed to Assistant Director of Nursing Service for the Youngstown Hospital Association and Director of Nursing for the Tod Babies’ and Children’s Hospital in 1972. Marilyn retired from there in 1978.

HER CREATIVE SIDE

Marilyn’s interests were those of a creative nature – needlepoint, sewing, flower arranging, ceramics. In fact, less than one year after her retirement, Marilyn and Bill opened a flower shop in Struthers called Bud-n-Blossom. Marilyn also loved music and loved to play the organ. She loved cooking and entertaining. She enjoyed sports as a participant and sports as a spectator when she knew the players! Marilyn attended all of her children’s extracurricular activities through both their high school and college years. One could not count the many football and basketball games, plays and concerts, and other events she attended.

Marilyn also loved to read, learn new things, and travel. Marilyn and Bill and the family would frequently vacation in Florida as they loved the warm weather and paradise nature of the state. In 1992 when Bill retired, he and Marilyn moved to Ormond Beach, Florida. Marilyn enjoyed decorating her new home, making new friends in the area through the YMCA, classes at the community college, and her beloved church - Lighthouse Christ Presbyterian Church. Marilyn participated in and held Bible Circles in her home. She volunteered in the church office taking attendance and doing bookkeeping. And it was through her church that she found true and loving friends that would last her lifetime. Marilyn truly enjoyed people and was genuinely interested in what they had to say. Marilyn was a strong and intelligent woman who was kind and truly caring and always wanted to do her very best for everyone -she served as a role model to many.

LEFT TO CHERISH HER MEMORY

Above all else, Marilyn loved her God and her family – unconditionally. Marilyn is survived by the love of her life, William B. “Bill”; daughter, Gale A. Harr and her husband, Richard; daughter, Cheryl A. Salerno and her husband, Frank; son, William Jeffrey; five grandchildren, Brandon (Sarah), Brittany (Greg), Kimberly, Marc (Hollie), Jeffrey; 10 great grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, friends and her schnoodle, Toby.

A private service will be held for the family on Tuesday at 10:00 A.M. under the care of Volusia Memorial Funeral Home of Ormond Beach. A memorial service to celebrate Marilyn’s life will be held at Lighthouse Christ Presbyterian Church at a later date to be announced. If you wish to remember and honor Marilyn, a memorial donation may be given to Lighthouse Christ Presbyterian Church, 1035 W. Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach 32174; or to the Alzheimer’s Association, PO Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011; or choose to always be kind.