Marilyn Ruth Durrum died peacefully after a short illness on Monday, December 4th, 2023 at Ohio's Hospice of Dayton, surrounded by family.
She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 12, 1947 to the late James Dillon and Louise (Becker) Dillon. In 1970, she received her BA in English from Wright State University, where she also met the love of her life, Randy, in a World Literature classroom. They were married in 1972, and raised two children, Jeffrey and Jessica.
Marilyn's life was defined by a deep concern, love and dedication to others. She worked for 24 years teaching GED and ESOL to adults as a public school teacher with the Fairborn City Schools, where she touched many lives in and beyond the classroom. She retired from teaching in 1998 to serve as a caregiver for her mother. After retirement, she continued to serve others and enrich her community by putting her many talents - artistic, civic, culinary, organizational and more - towards volunteer causes and activities, most recently at Mosaic Church, formerly St. Andrew UMC, in Beavercreek.
Marilyn loved to travel with her family, from national parks and historic sites across the country to art museums and cafes throughout Europe. She and her husband Randy enjoyed a final trip through Europe shortly before her illness.
Her memory will be cherished by her family, whom she loved: husband Randy; her son Jeffrey and daughter-in-law Adele; her daughter Jessica; her granddaughters Sasha and Samantha, and her grandson Brian Henry, who was born a week after Marilyn departed this life, expanding her family and legacy.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on January 27, 2024, at Mosaic Church, 350 N. Fairfield Rd., Beavercreek, OH 45430. Friends are invited to share memories and celebrate her life and legacy. Refreshments will be offered after the service, but you are welcome to arrive early to socialize with the family. The service will be streamed live at this address: https://vimeo.com/event/4004185. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Mosaic Church and designate "Three Year Building Initiative".