Marilyn was born March 24, 1931 in Mt. Vernon, MO to Oren and Mary Williamson. After having dementia for 3 years she died peacefully January 1, 2016 in Springfield.

In her love and service in Presbyterian churches all her life she tried to show God's great love and concern for people. She was the first woman elder elected at Colonial Presbyterian in Kansas City, MO and also helped teach preschool children in a large preschool at the church. She was a member at National Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C. several years before becoming a member of First and Calvary Presbyterian in Springfield in 1995. There she taught Bible study classes to women and helped teach adult Sunday school classes. She felt very privileged in being able to do these things and gave God all the glory and thanks from her heart.

Marilyn was a librarian. She graduated SMS in 1953 and received her MS in library science at Illinois University and was assistant librarian in the Chemistry Library there a few years. She worked in the Office of Personnel Management Library in Washington D.C. and in the Pentagon Law Library before retiring in 1987. She and her surviving husband Byron were married 61 years. They have one daughter, Susan and her husband Eric Hatch in Cabin John, MD and one granddaughter Erin Hatch in Washington D.C.

Marilyn will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA under the direction of Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. No local services are planned. Any donations may be made to Alzheimer's Association at 2400 Bluff Creek Drive, Columbia, MO 65201 or to Good Shepherd Hospice 3250 S National Ave., Springfield, MO 65807.