MARILYN L. BARNES

Marilyn L. Barnes peacefully passed away on February 28, 2011, at the Bridge Assisted Living facility in Mount Vernon. She was 87 years old.

Marilyn was born in Lawrenceville, Illinois and was to be the only child of Letha Estelle (Foreman) Daugherty and Thomas Alden Daugherty. Marilyn, fondly referred to as "Mennen" lived her childhood years in Lawrenceville and had wonderful memories of time spent with her grandparents......shopping, movies, fancy restaurants and the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. Summertime meant the annual family fishing trip at Cranberry Lake in Eagle River, Wisconsin.

Marilyn was an accomplished pianist and could play as many as 12 recital pieces from memory. Her piano teacher instilled confidence, enthusiasm and devotion in her musical abilities, which was so important later in life. She also appeared in many plays and became quite a hit with the audiences. Her passion was creating clever poems and short stories.

Following high school graduation, Marilyn attended Sanford-Brown Business College in St. Louis, Missouri. She majored in business/secretarial courses and her education was key to her becoming a highly successful and talented business woman.
While attending Business College, she met her future husband Verl "Buck" Barnes and they married on October 30, 1943. Shortly thereafter, United States Army Private Barnes said a tearful goodbye to his young bride and went on to serve his country during World War II.

Marilyn and Verl enjoyed nearly 63 wonderful years together raising their three children. They lived in many locations, the last being their family home in Burlington. After Verl's passing, she spent the final three years of her life living at the Bridge due to her battle with Alzheimer's disease.

During her lifetime, Marilyn was very devoted to her family and career. She worked at numerous jobs as office manager/executive secretary and retired from Continental Telephone Company after more than 20 years. She was always praised for her dedication and professionalism.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents Letha and Tom and her beloved husband Verl.

She is survived by her loving children; Diane (Colin) Rush of Mount Vernon; Jeffry (Pennie) Barnes of Belleville, Illinois; JoAnne (Richard) Giesbrecht of Sedro-Woolley. She was grandmother to Melissa (Frank) DeYoung; Megan (Jonathon) Richardson; Tyler Giesbrecht; Jeffry Barnes, Jr. and great-grandmother to Ali and Lucas LeFavre and Harlow Grace Richardson. Our dearly loved Mother will be so greatly missed. She will always be treasured in our hearts.....such a strong, loving, courageous woman.

The family would like to extend a very special thanks to the caring staff at the Bridge Assisted Living, which she considered her family and home, and to Hospice of the Northwest for their compassionate end-of-life care.

At Marilyn's request, there will be no funeral services. Her ashes will be reunited with her family at the Lawrenceville Cemetery in Illinois.