Marilyn Galvin Mechelsen

Marilyn Galvin Mechelsen, a longtime Eastside resident, loving wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away on September 7, 2026, in Issaquah, at age 99. Known for her devotion to family, enduring friendships, and strong faith, Marilyn found her greatest joys in family and the simple pleasures of home.

Born in Centralia, Washington, on February 1, 1927, to Lawrence Fredrick Galvin and Madeline Pingry Galvin, Marilyn was the youngest of four children. Many of her earliest memories centered on her father; the two adored each other. Though the family lived in town, Marilyn spent much of her time at the family ranch, where she became an accomplished horsewoman. Her favorite horse was Zombro. During WWII, she prepared meals for the ranch hands, an early introduction to cooking and hospitality that would become an important part of her life.

A lifelong Roman Catholic, Marilyn graduated from Forest Ridge in Seattle in 1944. She expressed her faith through service. Over the years, she cleaned the church, drove retired nuns to appointments, was active with the Association of Catholic Childhood, supported the Maryknoll ministry, and worked at a food bank in Seattle’s Central District.

In 1948, Marilyn met the love of her life, Harlan Mechelsen, at the Pier 91 Officer’s Club in Seattle. They married later that year and made the most of their 48 years together before he passed in 1996. Their love for one another was wide and deep, defined by the genuine respect and pure joy they found in spending time together. They moved to Oakland briefly before returning to Seattle, where Marilyn worked as a service rep for the telephone company. Here she made many friends with whom she remained close throughout her life. Those days were filled with laughter and parties, particularly at the Edgewater apartments, where her circle grew, and many lasting friendships took root.

In 1958, Marilyn endured two heartbreaking losses, first her father in May and then a baby daughter in July. Afterward, she and Harlan bought a home in Magnolia, where they began to find their footing again and rebuild their lives. Katie arrived in 1959, followed by John in 1962 and Jim in 1964. Marilyn was a mom, at last! She devoted herself to her family, creating a warm, loving home that often felt like a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting. She was a fabulous cook who loved experimenting with new recipes, but the family always wanted her Sunday night pot roasts and homemade pies most.

In 1968, Marilyn and Harlan moved the family to Beaux Arts to give the kids room to roam. They spent most of the summer on the shores of Lake Washington, and every year included a stay on Orcas Island. When school was back in session, Marilyn was there too, serving as homeroom mother and driving carpools. The kids were met at the end of each day around the kitchen table, as Marilyn listened with genuine interest – and plenty of questions – to the stories of their day.

As the kids grew up, Marilyn found more time for her passion: gardening. She cultivated a beautiful garden at home, including a cutting garden that supplied flowers for the arrangements she so artfully created, tending it with the same care and attention to detail she brought to so much of her life. Her gardening interests led her to become a guide at the Washington Park Arboretum, where she shared her knowledge and love of Northwest plants with visitors for many years. Of all its beautiful spaces, the Japanese Garden was her favorite.

Marilyn was also a devoted grandmother. “Mimi” was a steady, loving presence in her grandchildren’s lives, creating holiday traditions, vacationing together, hosting sleepovers, making cookies, and taking an interest in what mattered to them as they grew.

For two decades, Marilyn was a snowbird. She made regular treks to Arizona, first to Scottsdale and later to Fountain Hills, where she held court around the pool. The days were flanked by early morning walks through the cool desert air and evenings on the patio, a gin on the rocks in hand, soaking in the sunset.

In 2016, Marilyn moved to Timber Ridge in Issaquah, and in 2022 to Briarwood, where she was blessed to be cared for tenderly, appreciated for her spirit, and known for her songs, humor, and mostly sunny outlook, despite her challenges. To the Briarwood staff, Tack så mycket.

Marilyn is survived by her children Katie Sims (Lee Jr.), John (Cindy), Jim (Sandra), and grandchildren Madeline Orchard (Ryan), Lee Sims III, Jack Mechelsen (Maddie), and Caroline Sims. A mass celebrating her life, followed by a graveside service, was held in mid-September 2026, with family in attendance.