Born in San Diego California in 1935 to William D. Swenson and Evelyn McMillan Swenson, Marilyn grew up during the Great Depression. Her family returned to Illinois shortly after she was born, and she grew up in Aurora. Her younger sister, Karla Jean, came along when Marilyn was 7, and while Marilyn was not initially thrilled, she eventually warmed to the idea. Marilyn was to have a brother, but not for many years -- Marilyn's brother, William Jr., affectionately known to the family as "Billie," would be born a little more than a week before Marilyn's daughter Vickie. Although 18 years separated Marilyn and Billie, she loved him as though they were twins.
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Marilyn attended East Aurora High School, then went to work after her sophomore year. She married married John L. Johnson in 1954; they had one daughter, Vickie Lynn, before they divorced in 1955. She then married Richard L. Thompson, in 1956; that union bore three children: Richard Jr., Cindi, and Dan. Marilyn and Richard divorced in 1971. Marilyn then moved to Janesville, Wisconsin, where she met and married Claude (Sonny) Bartle, who was to be by her side for the next 43 years. In the late 1970's, she and Sonny adopted their granddaughter, Shannon, whom they raised from the age of four.
Sonny, Marilyn, and Shannon relocated to North Carolina in the late 1980s. It was difficult to leave their many cherished friends and family members in Wisconsin, but Sonny's job opportunity was too good to miss, so in 1988 the family set out for the foothills of the Appalachians. Marilyn continued to work as a medical transcriptionist for various medical practices until she finally retired in 2009 at the age of 73.
Marilyn loved fishing and camping with her family. She loved to play dice and cards. She took accordion lessons from an early age, and taught herself the piano. She played piano "by ear" and loved to play "Amazing Grace," "Whispering Hope," and "Beer Barrel Polka" on the piano and accordion. Marilyn inherited from both her parents an impish sense of humor; from her father, poker skills.
Marilyn died May 17, 2018, at age 82, at the Brian Center in Mitchell County. She and her family are grateful to the staff at the Brian Center, as well as to the Yancey Hospice organization and all its staff, for the excellent care Marilyn and her family received during her long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease.
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Marilyn attended East Aurora High School, then went to work after her sophomore year. She married married John L. Johnson in 1954; they had one daughter, Vickie Lynn, before they divorced in 1955. She then married Richard L. Thompson, in 1956; that union bore three children: Richard Jr., Cindi, and Dan. Marilyn and Richard divorced in 1971. Marilyn then moved to Janesville, Wisconsin, where she met and married Claude (Sonny) Bartle, who was to be by her side for the next 43 years. In the late 1970's, she and Sonny adopted their granddaughter, Shannon, whom they raised from the age of four.
Sonny, Marilyn, and Shannon relocated to North Carolina in the late 1980s. It was difficult to leave their many cherished friends and family members in Wisconsin, but Sonny's job opportunity was too good to miss, so in 1988 the family set out for the foothills of the Appalachians. Marilyn continued to work as a medical transcriptionist for various medical practices until she finally retired in 2009 at the age of 73.
Marilyn loved fishing and camping with her family. She loved to play dice and cards. She took accordion lessons from an early age, and taught herself the piano. She played piano "by ear" and loved to play "Amazing Grace," "Whispering Hope," and "Beer Barrel Polka" on the piano and accordion. Marilyn inherited from both her parents an impish sense of humor; from her father, poker skills.
Marilyn died May 17, 2018, at age 82, at the Brian Center in Mitchell County. She and her family are grateful to the staff at the Brian Center, as well as to the Yancey Hospice organization and all its staff, for the excellent care Marilyn and her family received during her long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease.
Born in San Diego California in 1935 to William D. Swenson and Evelyn McMillan Swenson, Marilyn grew up during the Great Depression. Her family returned to Illinois shortly after she was born, and she grew up in Aurora. Her younger sister, Karla Jean, came along when Marilyn was 7, and while Marilyn was not initially thrilled, she eventually warmed to the idea. Marilyn was to have a brother, but not for many years -- Marilyn's brother, William Jr., affectionately known to the family as "Billie," would be born a little more than a week before Marilyn's daughter Vickie. Although 18 years separated Marilyn and Billie, she loved him as though they were twins.
.
Marilyn attended East Aurora High School, then went to work after her sophomore year. She married married John L. Johnson in 1954; they had one daughter, Vickie Lynn, before they divorced in 1955. She then married Richard L. Thompson, in 1956; that union bore three children: Richard Jr., Cindi, and Dan. Marilyn and Richard divorced in 1971. Marilyn then moved to Janesville, Wisconsin, where she met and married Claude (Sonny) Bartle, who was to be by her side for the next 43 years. In the late 1970's, she and Sonny adopted their granddaughter, Shannon, whom they raised from the age of four.
Sonny, Marilyn, and Shannon relocated to North Carolina in the late 1980s. It was difficult to leave their many cherished friends and family members in Wisconsin, but Sonny's job opportunity was too good to miss, so in 1988 the family set out for the foothills of the Appalachians. Marilyn continued to work as a medical transcriptionist for various medical practices until she finally retired in 2009 at the age of 73.
Marilyn loved fishing and camping with her family. She loved to play dice and cards. She took accordion lessons from an early age, and taught herself the piano. She played piano "by ear" and loved to play "Amazing Grace," "Whispering Hope," and "Beer Barrel Polka" on the piano and accordion. Marilyn inherited from both her parents an impish sense of humor; from her father, poker skills.
Marilyn died May 17, 2018, at age 82, at the Brian Center in Mitchell County. She and her family are grateful to the staff at the Brian Center, as well as to the Yancey Hospice organization and all its staff, for the excellent care Marilyn and her family received during her long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease.
.
Marilyn attended East Aurora High School, then went to work after her sophomore year. She married married John L. Johnson in 1954; they had one daughter, Vickie Lynn, before they divorced in 1955. She then married Richard L. Thompson, in 1956; that union bore three children: Richard Jr., Cindi, and Dan. Marilyn and Richard divorced in 1971. Marilyn then moved to Janesville, Wisconsin, where she met and married Claude (Sonny) Bartle, who was to be by her side for the next 43 years. In the late 1970's, she and Sonny adopted their granddaughter, Shannon, whom they raised from the age of four.
Sonny, Marilyn, and Shannon relocated to North Carolina in the late 1980s. It was difficult to leave their many cherished friends and family members in Wisconsin, but Sonny's job opportunity was too good to miss, so in 1988 the family set out for the foothills of the Appalachians. Marilyn continued to work as a medical transcriptionist for various medical practices until she finally retired in 2009 at the age of 73.
Marilyn loved fishing and camping with her family. She loved to play dice and cards. She took accordion lessons from an early age, and taught herself the piano. She played piano "by ear" and loved to play "Amazing Grace," "Whispering Hope," and "Beer Barrel Polka" on the piano and accordion. Marilyn inherited from both her parents an impish sense of humor; from her father, poker skills.
Marilyn died May 17, 2018, at age 82, at the Brian Center in Mitchell County. She and her family are grateful to the staff at the Brian Center, as well as to the Yancey Hospice organization and all its staff, for the excellent care Marilyn and her family received during her long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease.
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