Marilyn Jean Walker

Marilyn Jean Walker (Niman), 87, passed away on Friday, August 16, 2024, in her home in Longmont, CO, surrounded by her husband and family. Marilyn had lived with COPD, dementia, and recurring infections for some time prior to her passing.

Marilyn was born July 5, 1937, in Beloit, WI, the first of six children born to William and Jeanette (Purves) Niman. She grew up in Beloit, attending Beloit Memorial High School where she met her lifelong friend and partner, James (Jim, Marilyn called him Jimmy) Walker. James remembers meeting Marilyn on a hayride at 15 years old. They were high school sweethearts from then on, graduating together in 1955 and marrying April 2, 1956. Together they raised four children - Julie, Brian, Tracy, and Sarah.

Driven by his career in engineering, Marilyn and James moved numerous times during their life together. They lived in 12 states (and visited many more), making lasting friends and countless memories along the way, but most of their adult years were spent in Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, and ultimately Colorado where they enjoyed many adventures in the mountains.

Marilyn worked as a beautician in the early years, but her love of flowers and floral design eventually took her in a new direction. She started her career as a floral designer in the 1960’s while she and James were living and raising their first two children in New Orleans, LA; later, after 20 years as a stay-at-home mom and when her youngest two children were in high school and college, she returned to floral design in the 1980’s in Littleton, CO. She designed the flowers for her children’s homecomings, proms, and weddings.

Marilyn enjoyed and was exceptionally talented at crafting, and her family will always cherish the beautiful crafts she made and gifted throughout the years. She began sewing at a young age, and her children all wore clothing lovingly sewn by her hands. Over time her crafting came to include knitting, doll making, quilting, and much more. In recent years she focused on plastic canvas creations and custom gift boxes, sending each family member a highly anticipated original gift box for their birthday. She also made gift baskets and blankets for residents of local nursing homes. Her family likes to think of her as the queen of repurposing, always finding unique ways to reuse containers, ribbons, wrapping paper, scraps of fabric, cardboard tubes - a various assortment of treasures she saved from the trash bin and transformed into beautiful and functional creations of her own design.

Marilyn was a social and relational person, maintaining friendships throughout her life with many of her childhood friends and regularly attending high school class reunions, most recently in 2015. Her smile and sense of humor touched everyone she met; even during difficult hospitalizations she kept the nurses and other staff laughing! Marilyn’s greatest joy was spending time with her family; she was happiest with everyone gathered around her dining room table, which at times accommodated 20 or more family members. Marilyn’s family has fond memories of celebrating holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries with her, especially anniversaries - when they joined her and James in celebrating their longstanding marriage, dancing the night away to their favorite songs.

In recent years, Marilyn could often be found at Vance Brand Airport in Longmont, watching skydivers land in front of her van and fantasizing about jumping from the plane with them! At home, she enjoyed lounging on her front porch or in her garage, where she visited with neighbors, marveled at the clouds, and tried to guess the destination of each plane as it crossed the sky, imagining the grand adventures awaiting there!

Marilyn is survived by her husband of 68 years, James Walker; children Brian (Elizabeth) Walker of Jenks, OK, Tracy (Richard) Slama of Longmont, CO, and Sarah (Aaron) Walker-Dunn of Sandy, OR; siblings Sheila Schoenfeld of Beloit, WI and Tom (Susan) Niman of Kenosha, WI; brother-in-law Tom Jordan of Beloit, WI; grandchildren Carly, Brett, Heather, Allison, Eric, Christopher, Lindsey, Chloe, and Jamie; and great-grandchildren Levi and Abigail. She joins in Heaven her daughter, Julie Titze; parents, William and Jeanette Niman; parent-in-laws Dale and Jane Walker; and siblings Sandra Mogilicki, John Niman, and Sharon Jordan.

Marilyn’s family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to TRU Hospice and Caring Senior Service for their kindness, care, and support during her final days.

A celebration of life for Marilyn will be held Friday, September 6, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Howe Mortuary, 439 Coffman Street, Longmont, Colorado 80501. Following the celebration of life will be a reception luncheon with family and friends.

Services are entrusted to Howe Mortuary & Crematory of Longmont, Colorado.

Fond memories, photos, and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howemortuary.com for the Walker family.