At 92, Marian peacefully earned her heavenly wings on New Year’s Eve, 2016. She had resided in assisted living / memory care since 2012. Fondly referred to by her care team as “happily and pleasantly confused”, she began her journey with vascular dementia in 2008.
Born in Montgomery County, Kansas, to James Allen and Elouise McDowell, Marian spent her childhood on a farm with her parents, two brothers – Rex and Jack, and one sister – Joyce. She and her siblings walked to a country schoolhouse for grades 1 thru 8, and then graduated from high school in 1941 in the nearby small town of Elk City, Kansas. She married her high school sweetheart in 1942.
Marian was preceded in death by numerous loved ones, including her parents, one brother, Rex, and three husbands – Vernon Wilson, Richard Sprecher and Robert “Bob” Saker. She is survived by her sister, Joyce Hurt, and brother, Jack McDowell; her son and his wife, Dan and Susan Wilson; and her daughter and her husband, Lola and Bob Kruse. Her 5 grandchildren, Lynn Hawley, Jennifer Wenzel, Brett Dausses, Jacob Wilson, and Brad Dausses, and their spouses, gave her 13 beautiful great-grandchildren. She was also blessed with 7 step-grandchildren and their families, including 10 step-great grandchildren. “Gigi” was certainly surrounded with love and will be forever missed.
A family memorial will be announced at a later date. In lieu of time and travel expenses and/or flowers, her children – Dan and Lola – suggest that you send a tax-deductible donation to The Alzheimer’s Association to help fight Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. It is our prayer that this painful “long goodbye” may someday not exist for future generations.
See http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp?donateVersion=standard
It’s not “goodbye Mom”…it’s “see you later.”
