Marilyn McFarland Obituary

Marilyn McFarland
May 29, 1937 - June 12, 2022
Tacoma, Washington - Marilyn Louise (Marshall) McFarland was born on May 29, 1937 in Pullman, WA and passed away on June 12, 2022 at Franciscan Hospice House in University Place due to complications from COVID pneumonia. She attended Pullman High School and graduated in 1959 from Washington State University where she was a proud member of Delta Gamma sorority. Marilyn married Robert McFarland of Colfax in 1959 and they moved to Garfield where Bob was the high school principal and Marilyn taught 5th grade. Their two daughters were born in Colfax and the family resided in Garfield until 1967 when they moved to Federal Way.
In Federal Way, Marilyn was active in the PTA, AAUW and was on the FW Library Board. She served as president of the latter two organizations. Marilyn started teaching at Rogers High School in Puyallup in 1973 and retired in 1989. She taught reading, tutored students with dyslexia and instructed children who had immigrated to the United States that did not speak English. She kept in touch with some of her students for decades.
Marilyn and Bob retired to Lakeland Village in Allyn and spent their winters in Sun City West, Arizona. After selling both homes, they moved to the Park Place neighborhood of Tacoma where they enjoyed a quiet life near Pt. Defiance. Marilyn was preceded in death by: her husband of 60 years, Bob, two brothers, Eldon Marshall and Charles (Bob) Marshall and her sister, Madge Marshall. She is survived by her two daughters, Shan (Steve) Vipond of Gig Harbor and Laureen (Reid) Miller of Seattle and three grandchildren: Rebecca (Aaron) Barganier, Jacob Miller and Andrew Vipond.
Marilyn had a curious mind and she and Bob traveled extensively during their retirement often using Road Scholars for educational travel. Her highlights included Egypt, Costa Rica and Israel, but Ireland was her favorite. She completed the NY Times crossword puzzle each morning in ink and she looked forward to every show at the Tacoma Musical Playhouse. Marilyn belonged to two book clubs and loved the Lutheran ladies who took her in and made her feel welcome. She was a loyal sports fan and the WSU Cougars and Seattle Mariners were her teams. She rarely missed a Mariner's game on TV and would watch each game until the bitter end.
Marilyn moved to Merrill Gardens in Tacoma about six months prior to her death. She had been living alone during the pandemic after Bob had passed and decided she wanted a social life again. She was thrilled with her new apartment and her view of the Narrows bridge. She was fully independent and enjoyed driving to bridge and book club meetings. She was making new friends and thriving in her busy life. It all changed suddenly when she fell, broke her hip, had hip replacement surgery and went to a rehab facility. There she contracted COVID which progressed to COVID pneumonia which caused pulmonary fibrosis.
Marilyn was lucid until the end of her life and she appreciated all the friends and family members who came to see her in her final days, those visits meant the world to her. She left this life on her own terms with dignity and thankfulness. There will be an informal, outdoor memorial service for Marilyn on July 9, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Haven of Rest Cemetery in Gig Harbor where she will be inurned next to her husband.
Donations in her memory can be made to the Tacoma Musical Playhouse, 7116 6TH Ave., Tacoma, WA 98406.