Marilyn Jeanette Darling

Marilyn was born to Leonard and Rose Lawrence in Lisbon, North Dakota. As the oldest of four girls living on the family farm, she was very self-sufficient. Marilyn was a professional car and tractor driver by the age of 10 – even if a car ended up in a ditch one time.

As a young woman, she worked for the telephone company in Fargo with her very close friends Bernice Nelson and Carol Benjamin. Marilyn served as maid of honor at Bernice and Fred Nelson’s wedding. It was there she met the handsome best man, Wallace Darling, who was full of fun, wit and laughter, who also had roots from North Dakota. He had recently returned from serving in Korea with his cousin and best friend Vincent Brown. Marilyn and Wally fell deeply in love, were married on June 2, 1954, and together they moved to Seattle where they both worked for a time for Boeing.

They were true partners who were willing to take on whatever came their way. Marilyn and Wally moved to Richmond, CA, living humbly in a travel trailer. Marilyn worked again for the telephone company. It didn’t take them long to turn their sights on the old, condemned St. James Hotel in Point Richmond. Wally provided the vision and dreams while Marilyn, with her feet planted firmly on the ground, backed him up with the details. They worked hard to renovate it and soon had a very successful 29 room hotel they renamed The Ivy Inn.

Marilyn ran the day-to-day operations of The Ivy Inn while raising their five children, Dan, Carol, Gary, Dale, and Lynn (plus various pets… including a pony!). She always found the time to be the mother who was there to listen and to love her children, helping each child with their school lessons and taking on the role of disciplinarian when needed. Marilyn’s family values shone through yet again as she opened her home to take in her nephew Stephen and niece Linda Bailly for two years. Together Marilyn and Wally built a strong family, a thriving business, and a large circle of friends and community in Point Richmond. All this with just one bathroom.

They loved to share their love of adventure with their family, doing everything from driving to Alaska in the converted school bus, to a river boat cruise in Russia, to the yearly holiday trips to Reno. Marilyn even got to ride an elephant on one trip! In 1979, Wally and Dan built a magnificent house in El Sobrante. There, Marilyn and Wally hosted many events, often starring guest performances from the family band featuring lots of North Dakota oldies (some of the band members were motivated by getting out of the dishes).

Marilyn, like her mother Rose, loved the babies. As grandchildren were born, she couldn’t wait to cuddle them. She was always willing to watch them for a weekend and earned her nickname, The Chocolate Grandma, since she delighted the grandkids by serving chocolate pudding as a part of breakfast.

When it came time to semi-retire, Marilyn and Wally moved to Pleasant Hill where they bought a beautiful house big enough for everyone to gather for celebrations. Family was Marilyn’s North Star and she never wanted to leave any family celebration early.

When Wally passed away in 2012, Marilyn was heartbroken. Her oldest daughter Carol took her by the hand and became her constant companion. Carol and Marilyn continued to travel and explore, eventually moving to Phoenix to be closer to Lynn and her husband John who generously opened their house every evening to share a tasty dinner. John maintained a close relationship with Marilyn through gentle teasing to keep her young and feeling positive.

Life could never slow Marilyn down. She and Carol would often be found driving anywhere from North Dakota to California to be present for family events. Even in her last week, Carol made sure Marilyn could attend the funeral of Uncle Joe and toast her grandchild’s engagement in California. Marilyn joined Wally in Heaven on a peaceful, quiet Wednesday at home.

Marilyn was predeceased by her parents Rose and Leonard Lawrence, her sisters Leonora Week, Rose Winkler, Susan Ranzenberger, and many of her in-laws. She is survived by her children Dan, Carol, Gary, Dale, and Lynn, their spouses Donna, Cindy, Roxanne, and John, her five grandchildren Pete, Phillip, Hannah, Rose, and Grant, her great grandchild Owen, her brothers in law Larry Darling and Burdell Ranzenberger, and her many nieces, nephews, and their families.

Details on Memorial Service: Please join the family for a funeral mass Monday Dec 11th at 1:30 at St Callistus Catholic Church, 3580 San Pablo Dam Road, El Sobrante CA, 94803 to be followed by a reception at La Strada. If you are unable to attend in person, services will be online below Zoom link, and or contact Carol Darling [email protected] or text 510/910-4203 for the link.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.

When: Dec 11, 2023 01:20 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Marilyn Darling's Memorial

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84530462464

Please RSVP if planning to attend reception by Dec. 7th via email/text/phone to [email protected] 510/910-4203 with your name and number of family attending.

La Strada

Ristorante Italiano

2215 Church Lane

San Pablo, 94806