Marilynn G. Stevenson

Worthington resident Marilynn G. Stevenson, age 92, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2015 at Riverside Methodist Hospital. She was born in Independence, Kansas on April 17, 1923, the daughter of Harley Gustave “Gus” Gerber and Mercy Shaw (Blake) Gerber. She was married for 42 years to WWII veteran Vester B. “Steve” Stevenson, until his death in 1984. Preceded in death by her older brothers Blake, Reed, and Gordon, Marilynn is survived by her daughter Sandra (Al) Romano of Worthington, sons Roger (Tricia) Stevenson of Plainfield, Illinois and Patrick (Louise) Stevenson of Wildwood, Missouri; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. A longtime resident of the St. Louis area, Marilynn moved to Ohio in 2004 to be closer to her daughter Sandra. Highly skilled at knitting and sewing, she fashioned everything from hats and scarves to sweaters and comforters for her friends and loved ones, and would often tailor their clothes for a better fit. She was also known to donate some of her handiwork to underprivileged children in Central Ohio. A dilettante at many other creative endeavors, Marilynn tried her hand at painting and poetry, and also penned her memoirs for the benefit of her progeny around the time of her move to Worthington. She was an avid gamer—cards, board games, crossword puzzles and more—teaching some of her grandchildren the classics such as gin rummy. Seldom (if ever!) known to be shy, Marilynn could be the life of any party. And with her veritable motherlode of memories, she could readily regale younger family members with stories of her experiences as a member of the Greatest Generation: the blithe and simple days of a Depression-era youth; the time she first met Steve at school in Cape Girardeau; the vicissitudes of wartime life as a newlywed; and the eventful years of childrearing in the idyllic ‘50s and tumultuous ‘60s. Marilynn’s final resting place will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, along the banks of the Mississippi River, next to her husband Steve. A private memorial service and interment at the cemetery are being coordinated by Rutherford-Corbin Funeral Home. For those who wish memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at woundedwarriorproject.org

Marilynn G. Stevenson

April 17, 1923 - December 11, 2015