MARILYN L BROWN
January 11, 1946 - March 19, 2024
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Brown, Marilyn Louise (Gibson), 78, passed away on March 19, 2024. She was born in Salem, Ohio and grew up in Darlington, PA. Her parents, Willard & Thelma Gibson, preceded her in death.
She had many nicknames – Bunny, Indian, Gonkel, Betty Crocker (with a large hint of sarcasm), but Mimi was used most frequently. In high school, as a majorette she caught Robert’s (Bob) eye and they were together thereafter. Marilyn supported Bob throughout their 63 years of marriage beginning as early as high school and she went on to be his biggest fan during his football playing days at the University of Kentucky.
She then took on the role of an Army officer’s wife for 23 years. She held the family together during Bob’s 2 one-year combat tours in Vietnam and multiple moves during Army life. Marilyn worked at various times as a nurse’s aide and as a sales assistant for new homes. She supported Bob’s post military career as he shifted to being a mortgage loan officer.
She liked a dirty joke with a tee hee twinkle of the eye and she liked her “Cuba Libres” (rum + coke + lime). She loved a good party and at times was the life of the party! As a young parent her children benefited from having vibrant, active guidance in taking on life.
Living in so many locations stateside and overseas, she stayed in touch with the friends met along the way and kept connections with long-term relationships that as a family we still treasure.
Marilyn always loved going to Lexington, KY in the fall to see the Kentucky Wildcats football games (or maybe it was for the tailgating!). There also had to be a day at Keeneland Race Track to enjoy the horse races followed by a “Hot Brown” at Ramsey’s Diner.
She was not perfect, but she meant everything to her family. She took on her health battles with dignity and fought to the end. She was a force of nature.
Marilyn is survived by her husband (Robert), son (Doug), daughter (Shelley), her sisters Marsha Sacco (Charlie), Kay Dunlap, and various brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, along with nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, feel free to make a donation in Marilyn’s memory to a charity that is special to you.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.