Marilynne Ruth Alexander

Her parents were Elwin C. Krause and A. Margaret Krause. She grew up in Sioux City Iowa with her parents and younger brother Jim. As a child, she particularly enjoyed visiting her grandparents at their general store in Omaha, where she was proud to be able to help with the daily upkeep in the shop.

Marilynne graduated from East High School in the Spring of 1957. After high school she pursued her education at Midland College in Fremont, Nebraska. Earning a double major in Mathematics and English, she graduated Cum Laude in May 1961. In her last year at Midland she interviewed for a teaching position in Jefferson County, Colorado. She was hired and that would change the direction of her life.

In the summer of 1961, she moved to the Denver area where she shared an apartment with another novice teacher. Marilynne taught at Jefferson High School from Fall 1961 to December 1962. On a blind date, she met Paul Robert Alexander, a widower and father of Jean Elizabeth, age 3. Marilynne and Paul were married in Sioux City, Iowa on August 4, 1962.

Jean Elizabeth was adopted by Marilynne on January 21, 1964. The family lived in an apartment in west Denver until purchasing a home in Lakewood, Colorado. That house on West Arizona Avenue would become the center of family celebrations for decades.

On October 28, 1964 Marilynne and Paul welcomed a son, Andrew Tyler.

On April 4, 1965 the family joined Lutheran Church of the Master, a new congregation recently established in Green Mountain.

Marilynne put her professional life on hold to stay home with Jean and Andrew. Between countless doctor and orthodontist appointments, piano lessons and fixing skinned knees, Marilynne spent many hours at church helping with children's music and education programs. Marilynne volunteered her time to read books for the blind, donated gallons of blood, and was a Girl Scout leader. Marilynne was an accomplished gardener, specializing in roses and iris, and a devoted lover of butterflies. In the early 1980's she returned to her professional passion as a public-school math teacher to enrich the lives of students at Green Mountain, Arvada West and Standley Lakes high schools.

After retirement, Marilynne and Paul enjoyed extensive travels across Europe, Great Britain and South America. They also traveled widely in the US including river cruises and an epic trip to Hawaii.

Marilynne was fearless in the kitchen, preparing countless fantastic holiday meals and always setting a picture-perfect table.

Paul passed away on December 1, 2021. Marilynne transitioned to a memory care facility due to her advancing dementia. Marilynne enjoyed the activities in memory care which included visits by dogs, goats, and pigs as well as scenic drives. Her son Andrew continued to take her to beloved Lutheran Church of the Master every few weeks. She never lost her strong will and convictions in herself. In early January 2024 she transitioned to hospice care as dementia took its toll. She passed away peacefully in the twilight hours of January 28, 2024.

She is survived by her daughter Jean Elizabeth Alexander Gifford, son Andrew Tyler Alexander, grandchildren Elizabeth, Gwen, and Isaac and great-grandchildren Cordelia and Bronwen.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Denver Botanic Gardens. It would please Marilynne to know that she lives on in the plants, flowers, and butterflies that brought her so much joy in life.