Vivi Marianne Wyndham passed from this earth to her Heavenly Home on Monday, April 23, 2018 at age 75. Marianne was born in Kristianstad, Sweden, on August 14, 1942 to David and Svea (Johansson) Svenhard. She was the chief financial officer for Svenhard's Swedish Bakery.

Marianne is survived by her daughter, Desiree Rodgers (Darrin); two grandchildren, David and Anastasia; two siblings, Ronny Svenhard and Borje Svenhard; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Marianne is preceded in death by her parents and one sibling, Daniel Svenhard.

Shortly after Marianne was born the family moved to Linköping, Sweden, and then immigrated to America in 1949. The Svenhard family was defined, in many ways, by their Pentecostal faith and their family business, Svenhard's Swedish Bakery (founded in 1893). They brought both with them to America.

The Svenhard family initially lived in Seattle. In 1950, they settled in Oakland, California, where they were active in the Philadelphia Church. Svenhard's Swedish Bakery became a fixture in the community, operating seven retail bakeries. In 1956, the bakery decided to concentrate on wholesale manufacturing and became a prominent pastry brand in the region and, eventually, across the nation.

Marianne worked for Svenhard's Swedish Bakery for 62 years. At age nine, she began scraping pans after school and in the summer. While in high school, she began selling baked goods from behind the counter. After she graduated from Fremont High School in Oakland in 1960, Marianne worked in the wrapping department for a year after the bakery automated production. She then moved to the office, where she answered phones. She worked her way up to office manager and ultimately became chief financial officer.

Very conscientious and committed to her work, Marianne often worked through the night and would still be at work when the staff arrived in the morning. She joked that her work offered flex-time – she could work any 18 hours in a day she wished. She moved to Orinda, just outside of Oakland, in about 1978. While Marianne did not like to be the center of attention, she developed a flair of her own. She dressed well and liked sporty cars and vacations in Hawaii. She also had a thing for Elvis and Tom Selleck.

In 1981, Marianne met her own Tom Selleck – his name was Allen Wyndham. Al was a big man – 6 foot 5 inches tall and 270 pounds. He loved the Lord with all his heart and was a gregarious, friendly man. After dating for a year, Al informed Marianne that he had vacation coming up in two weeks and asked if she would like to get married. She said yes, and two weeks later, they were married on July 25, 1982 in a ceremony in her home. She was 39 years old; he was 40. Neither had been married previously.

Al and Marianne were blessed with one child – Desiree, who was born December 25, 1984, when Marianne was 42 years old. Desiree was their pride and joy. After Desiree was born, Marianne began performing her responsibilities for the bakery from home. In addition, Marianne homeschooled Desiree.

Al and Marianne shared a deep love for the Lord. Al had a Lutheran background but had become involved in the charismatic renewal. As a couple, Al and Marianne settled upon a new church – Oak Park Assembly of God (now Oak Park Christian Center) in Pleasant Hill, California. Marianne taught Sunday school for pre-school children.

In 1989, Marianne and her family moved to Lafayette, California, where they built a house at the top of a hill overlooking the city. Marianne also enjoyed spending extended working vacations in the summer at Anchor Bay in northern California. The family lived in an RV overlooking the ocean for a month at a time.

Al was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, and Marianne cared for him at their home until he went to be with the Lord in 2007. Al was the love of her life, and they were married for 25 joyful years. Marianne retired from the bakery in 2013. She moved in 2016 to Springfield, Missouri, to be close to Desiree and her family. Marianne passed away at Mercy Hospital in Springfield early in the morning on April 23, 2018, due to complications from double pneumonia.

Marianne's deep, abiding faith in Jesus Christ set the tenor and trajectory of her life. She had a quiet confidence in God's provisions. She worked hard, she waited for God's timing, and she remained faithful to the Lord through both good times and bad. She was very generous and used her resources to bless others and to build the Kingdom of God.

A celebration of Marianne's life will be held at 10 AM on April 30, 2018 at Oak Park Christian Center, 2073 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, California. Lunch will be provided at the church following the graveside service at Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette, California.

The family has decided that memorial gifts in honor of Marianne may be given to either Oak Park Christian Center or to Safe Harbor Homes and Services of Walnut Creek, California.