Marilyn Sue Drewlinger

She was born on August 3, 1937, in Grandview, Indiana and was raised in nearby Rockport. She is a graduate of Rockport High School, where she was yearbook co-editor her senior year and was recognized as Valedictorian of the class of 1955.

Marilyn was a classically trained pianist, beginning lessons at the age of six. Her parents were hesitant to start her on the instrument this young, but after her first-grade teacher saw her accurately play some chords on the school’s piano she approached the parents and encouraged them to begin her training with a local piano teacher. Throughout her childhood, Marilyn placed high in or won numerous local and regional youth-centered music performance competitions, and qualified multiple years as a teenager to compete in the annual Indiana High School Solo and Ensemble Contest in Indianapolis. Additionally, she often provided organ music for services at the Rockport United Methodist Church.

Following high school graduation, she attended Kentucky Wesleyan University in Owensboro, Kentucky for one year, then transferred for a year and a half to Indiana University. After her two and a half years of university studies, she returned to Rockport and worked for nearly two years at the original Main Street branch of Old National Bank in nearby Evansville, Indiana.

In June 1960, she married Wayne Drewlinger, who she met at I.U. and who grew up in Eureka Indiana. Following 18 months in parts of the northeastern United States while her husband completed a tour of U.S. Army duty, they returned to southwestern Indiana and lived for four years in Evansville before making Newburgh their permanent home. They raised two children and Marilyn was very involved in activities such as participating in her children’s elementary school Parent-Teacher Association, serving as a volunteer staffer in the school’s library, and assisting in various capacities with her children’s Boy Scout and Girl Scout activities.

In 1978 she was honored with an invitation to become the permanent organist/pianist for the Newburgh United Methodist Church—a position she held for 35 years until her retirement in 2013.

Her love of music continued throughout her entire life by not only playing music at the church, but providing music for numerous weddings and funerals, and accompanying untold numbers of students participating in high school music competitions. Everyone knew Marilyn was the go-to pianist to hire for any and all occasions.

Other loves of her life, in addition to her family, included anything and everything red, all things Indiana University, baking, Christmas, and chocolate! Anyone lucky enough to have tasted any of her baked goods and Christmas cookies and candies will never forget them!

She is survived by Wayne, her husband of 66 years; children Andy Drewlinger of Newburgh and Dana Drewlinger (Curtis Hart) of Wayland, Michigan; a sister Ruth Ann Trolinger (Stan) of Owensboro, Kentucky; and two nieces and three nephews.

No services will be held per her request.

Condolences may be made online at

www.AlexanderNewburghChapel.com