Marion Faye Gist

Marion was born April 14, 1936, to Bill and Ruby Davidson in Eldon, Missouri. She graduated from Eldon High School and Central Missouri State College in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science in Education.

She married the love of her life, Danny Franklin Gist, on October 12, 1957, at the Methodist Church in Eldon, Missouri. Dan was the son of Howard and Mary Elizabeth Gist of Warrensburg, MO.

Marion and Dan moved to Emporia, Kansas, and started their family with the births of Deborah Lynn in 1960 and Janet Kay in 1962. Their family moved to McAlester, Oklahoma, where Dan managed a Brown’s Shoe Fit store and Marion worked at the U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot. As Dan’s career in the shoe business grew, the family made several moves, living in Bartlesville, Okmulgee, and Fort Smith, Arkansas, before settling in Edmond, Oklahoma, in 1970. Marion stayed home taking care of the home and children until they reached high school.

Marion began working at Sonic Industries and became the corporate payroll manager; she enjoyed the work and, more importantly, the people she worked with at Sonic. Marion and Dan moved to Franklin, Tennessee, in 1982. Tragically, Dan passed away on November 9, 1983, at Vanderbilt Hospital from lung cancer. Marion eventually moved back to Edmond, where she has lived ever since. She continued her work at Sonic Industries until she retired in 1999.

Marion always had a smile on her face, and her laugh was contagious. She enjoyed many activities; she was a bowling league member, a volunteer with Meals on Wheels, and enjoyed Bus Tours and fishing with her family. Marion was a very active member of her church, New Covenant United Methodist Church in Edmond.

Marion enjoyed opening her home to her family whenever they needed a place to stay between moves, college transitions, jobs, or just a place to hang out for a while. Marion loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, especially when they called her Gi Gi.

Marion was predeceased by her parents, Marion W. “Bill” and Ruby G. Davidson; brother Gordon Davidson; and her beloved husband, Dan F. Gist.

She is survived by her two daughters Debbie L. Nance (Bruce) of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Janet K. Ervin (Jim) of Guthrie, Oklahoma; grandchildren: Jennifer Ervin of Colorado, Jason Ervin of South Korea, and Michelle Dawson of Edmond. Marion found so much joy in her great-grandchildren: Eva, Lilli, Kai, and Nathaniel.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 AM, July 30, 2022, at New Covenant United Methodist Church (Edmond, OK.) Marion’s ashes will be buried next to her beloved husband at Hickman Cemetery in Clarksburg, Missouri. The details of this service will be announced later.

Flowers for the family may be sent to Baggerley Funeral Home (Edmond, OK.)