April 11, 1934 ~ December 19, 2024
Marilyn East, 90, formerly of Richland, Mich., passed away peacefully Dec. 19, 2024, at the Oceana County Medical Care in Hart, Mich.
Born on April 11, 1934, Marilyn was the daughter of Bernice (Hazel) and E.W. Chalker of Kalamazoo. When she was 17, she married Walter East just prior to his being deployed to Korea. She then graduated from Richland High School, and after his return, they started married life and raised seven children – Steven (Katie), Jeff (Jenni), Nancy (Brian) Klepper, Linda East, John East, Mary (Spencer) Holwerda and Kate (Steve) Rizor, and were blessed with 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. They were also foster parents to numerous children.
Marilyn was preceded in death by: her parents; her beloved Walt; her son John; and siblings Virginia (Don) Louis, Dorothy (Jim) Ashton, Evelyn (Earl) Hoffman and Bill (Lil) Chalker.
She had a great love for her many nieces and nephews, and many lifelong friendships that included Lorri Busick and Tara East. Family was important to Walt and Marilyn, where quick wit and laughter surrounded the dinner table. The most often shared memories were of summer days spent at Bernice’s home on Gull Lake, where the children and their cousins swam and waterskied, and in the winter worked together at Echo Valley.
Marilyn, herself, waterskied well into her 70s, and she loved walking and biking. She was known to read multiple books and hold multiple phone conversations at the same time. Walt and Marilyn enjoyed taking their children on trips to Florida and their grandchildren white-water rafting and visiting Washington, DC. They especially enjoyed spending time at Silver Lake.
Marilyn worked outside the home driving a bus for Gull Lake Schools and as a patient care technician in the Critical Care Unit at Borgess Hospital. She also volunteered by reaching out to women with children in need. Her act of kindness was baking banana bread for anyone in need of comfort.
Marilyn was afflicted with vascular dementia several years before her passing. She was loved and well cared for by the nurses and staff at OCMCF who described her as spicy, but also thoughtful and insightful.
To celebrate Marilyn and honor the caregivers, a reception will be held Jan. 27 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in the Margaret Fuehring Memorial Care Wing of the Oceana County Medical Care Facility. Burial will be at Fort Custer National Cemetery next to her beloved Walt later in June. Donations in her honor may be made to OCMCF-AU, 701 E. Main St., Hart, MI 49420.
