Marilyn Beringer

BERINGER, Marilyn Joyce

Marilyn Joyce Beringer died peacefully on December 30, 2023, at age 89, after a long illness.

Born in Detroit, Marilyn moved in the 5th grade with her family to Daytona Beach and discovered that winters could be warm. Later, as the family continued to follow her father's career, she moved to Marion, Indianapolis, Daytona Beach again, Detroit again and eventually East Lansing where she started her sophomore year in high school.

Thereafter, at Michigan State she pursued a major in radio and television production with a minor in philosophy, joined the speech club, and was invited into Alpha Chi Omega. Scholastic honors included Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Epsilon Rho.

Marilyn and another coed were the cause of the delay of the Michigan State student train on the way home from the January 1954 Rose Bowl. The train had stopped in Las Vegas so the students could look around, but then the scheduled departure was advanced, and Marilyn did not get that announcement. When he learned of this, the station agent directed the student train to halt and wait on a siding in Wyoming and put Marilyn on a later train which then passed the student train until the trains met at a later stop. Marilyn got on, evaded the dean of women, and received cheers from the other students.

At the time of her graduation there were no careers available in the Lansing area to women in her major field. She married Jim Walter in East Lansing, volunteered at Sparrow Hospital, joined the Junior League, began painting in oils and watercolors, moved to Okemos and had two wonderful children. After her divorce, she moved briefly to Sarasota, until an apartment fire led to a move to Atlanta, where she began a career in interior decorating.

Years later she met Bill Beringer, the love of her life, and they joined their families. They lived happily in Huntcliff in Sandy Springs for 30 years. She enlivened their life with her ready smile and laughter, her quick wit and intelligence, and her beautiful singing voice.

She loved to read mysteries, travel to far away places, and spend time with friends and family. Several years ago they moved to an apartment of their own design in a retirement home. After a disabling stroke, she had Bill as one of her caregivers for the rest of her life.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Lena Absher. Surviving are her own children, Barry Walter (and his wife Jennifer King and their four children) of Herndon, Virginia and Maureen Hunsaker (and her husband, Alan and their four children) of Springville, Utah. Also surviving are Bill's children, Amy Beringer (and her husband, John Grubb and their two children) of Boulder, Colorado, Julie Beringer (and her husband, Bob Jermon) of Western Springs, Illinois, and Tom Beringer (and his wife, Catherine and their three children) of Waconia, Minnesota.