Marilyn Jane Turnbaugh

July 18, 1931 - December 22, 2021

Marilyn Jane (Fox) Schwada Turnbaugh passed away into heaven with Jesus, Tuesday evening, December 22, 2021, at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, after struggling with an illness. Marilyn was born in Shelbyville, Missouri in 1931. She was the fourth of five children of Wayne and Ledia (Keller) Fox. She married Billy Don Schwada in 1951. Billy Don’s service in the Air Force eventually led to residences in several locations. However, after Billy Don’s stint in the military, they settled in Berkeley Missouri. After a brief illness with leukemia, Billy Don passed away leaving Marilyn to raise their two young sons. She eventually took a part-time position of secretarial work for Berkeley Public Schools that she thoroughly enjoyed. Later Marilyn married Clyde Turnbaugh while residing in St. Louis. After his death, she worked retail for Kohls for many years. During her later years, Marilyn resided in Edmond, Oklahoma, near her older son. Friendship, family, and faith were important to Marilyn’s life. She worked at keeping connections strong with friends from the different stages of her life though many long letters and phone calls. She especially enjoyed her bond with “The Girls” who were a group of close friends that regularly celebrated each birthday of the group in special ways. Marilyn also loved her family. She continued to maintain strong ties with as many extended family members as possible, not only with her siblings and their families, but also with members of the Schwada and Turnbaugh families as well. She also included the families of the wives of her sons as part of her own. Marilyn loved her two sons. She cared deeply about their lives and spent much time talking to them and praying for them. She was delighted when her sons gave her five granddaughters after raising two sons in a “boy” home. In the last few years, she was given two great-grandsons and two great granddaughters to treasure. Another strong part of Marilyn’s life was her faith. A sheet found in her Bible says that she wants to be remembered in this way: “know that I love the Lord with all my heart. Jesus paid the ultimate price for us (me). I hope to see loved ones and friends in heaven! I feel bad that I haven’t been feeling like going to church lately, but I do pray and read scripture daily with prayer and thankfulness!” (Her words, 2015) Finally, no description of Marilyn would be complete without the mention of her devotion to the baseball world of the St. Louis Cardinals. Marilyn stood tall in her support of her team even when residing in the midst of the Oklahoma world of college football. She proudly displayed her team loyalty at her Oklahoma residences with her St. Louis Cardinal flag, magnets, clothing, and blanket. Marilyn had happy memories of Opening Day at Busch stadium with friends and family eating hotdogs. Marilyn is survived by her son Terry and wife, Mary Lou Schwada, Granddaughter Amanda Schwada, Granddaughter Abbey Britt and her husband, Ryan, Great-Granddaughters Holly and Annie Britt, and her son Todd and wife, Janet Schwada, Granddaughter Lydia DeMartino and her husband, Dan, Great-Grandsons Ryland and Coleman DeMartino, Granddaughter Emma Schwada, and Granddaughter Lacie Schwada and her fiancé, Nick Lammert. The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Frank Davis, Dr. Jeremiah Johnson, the Medical Team and Staff of Mercy Hospital and Hospice, the Administration and Staff at Lyndale Edmond Independent Living, and Teal Creek Assisted Living for their ministry to Marilyn. A private family and close friend’s graveside service will be held at St. Charles Memorial Gardens in St. Charles, MO, to remember and celebrate Marilyn’s life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Arise Ministries: Empowering Single Moms to Create Healthy Homes, a support system for single moms, in memory of Marilyn Turnbaugh. (ariseministries.net)