Marie Elinor Nyholm

Having served God’s purpose in her generation, Marie E. Nyholm passed peacefully into the Father’s hands on February 16, 2014 at the age of 93. She is survived by her devoted husband, Roy H. Nyholm, two daughters, Lorilee Paget and Linda (Robert) Gunter, four grandchildren, Dene’ (Allen) Joubert, Jeremy (Carrie) Paget, Christian (Julie)Gunter, Heidi (Tim) Stafford, and ten great grandchildren all of whom she loved greatly and prayed for daily. She was preceded in death by her dear brothers Hal Anderson and Wesley Anderson. Marie was born May 21, 1920 to Harold and Jesse Anderson, a Spokane Valley family who later founded and operated the Early Dawn Dairy. Marie attended Central Valley High School, where she was active in drama and President of the Girls League, then Whitworth College for a year before becoming the first woman teller at the Spokane Eastern Bank. Her life radically changed in 1940 at a base ball game in conversations with her best friend when she accepted Christ as her Savior. In October of 1941, she met at the suggestion of her brother Wesley, a traveling salesman named Roy who also had a deep faith in God. They were married January 31, 1942. People said a marriage based on four months of courtship wouldn’t last – but it did with God’s great blessing for 72 years! Beginning as a young mother and into her 70’s, Marie was active in her local churches serving as a youth advisor, YFC supporter, Sunday School teacher, speaker to women’s groups, and vacation bible school worker. She and Roy were among the founders of Teen Jamboree, a Christian youth convention which gathered over a thousand teens to Spokane each year for several decades. Throughout their marriage, Marie and Roy worked closely together in dairy business matters, in serving Christ and in caring for their immediate and extended family. Marie was typically the center of fun in family gatherings in Spokane and at the family cabin on Twin Lakes. She was a wonderful hostess, homemaker and cook; an encourager to everyone she met; a devoted and hard working Proverbs 31 wife, mother and grandmother; a selfless woman full of faith and quick to pray. She was loved by all - and by God.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, April 4, 2014 at 3 pm at South Hill Bible Church, 958 E. 29th Ave. Spokane, WA 99203.In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Union Gospel Mission Inland Northwest, 1224 E. Trent Ave. Spokane, WA.