Marilyn Moore

Marilyn Marie Moore, 93, of Westminster passed away on August 9, 2021 at Collier Hospice Center in Wheat Ridge. Born on June 21, 1928, in Michigan, she was the daughter of Charles Harold and Ingeborg Maria (Lindberg) Moore.

Marilyn’s first job after college was working as a copy writer and illustrator for the Rocky Mountain News. After she married, she worked as a fulltime mom and homemaker, raising five kids and at least three dogs and a cat.  Once her kids were grown, she worked as an executive assistant at Financial Designs, a wealth management company.  She loved the commute on the bus to and from downtown Denver and made lifelong friends as the result of her time there.

Marilyn loved spending time with her family, above all else.  Birthdays, Christmases, family reunions in Grand Haven, Michigan and Steamboat Springs, backyard barbeques, attending elementary school and high school performances and sporting events, graduations, girls’ weekends, trips to see her out-of-state sons and their families, weddings, births, quiet visits at Marycrest…any time she was with her family, she was happiest.

Marilyn also loved spending time with lifelong friends.  She enjoyed dinner club with church friends, lunches out with college friends, playing bridge, coffees…she had so many people who loved her.

Later in life, Marilyn enjoyed the many trips she took with Gil, her brother Joe and sister-in-law Marilyn.  She loved her travels to Europe, marveled at the history, art, architecture, and different cultures.

Marilyn loved to knit (we all have afghans, sweaters and socks), do New York Times crossword puzzles and watch any baseball or football game she could find on TV.  Her favorite teams were the Rockies, Broncos and the Detroit Tigers.  She enjoyed Brooks and Shields on PBS,“for their balanced approach to the news”.  She was a voracious reader.  A good manhattan was her preferred drink…and a chocolate Frosty!

Marilyn has been described as having the soul of a progressive, independent woman who did not conform to the stereotypical role of a 1950’s wife.  She pursued happiness, and found true love with her partner, Gil.  She taught us, as a woman, that it is ok not to settle for someone else’s expectations, even when it can lead to a road that may be more difficult to navigate.

Marilyn will be remembered for so many things.  Her devotion to her family, her unshakeable faith, her acceptance of all people, her optimism, her wicked sense of humor, her courage and resilience, her grace, her ability to make anyone she met feel as if she had known them forever.  Everyone loved her, pretty much from the first minute they met her.

Each ‘last’ thing that Marilyn experienced was always ‘the best’. Each day was the very best day, each meal was the very best meal, each experience was the very best experience.  She will be greatly missed.  The memories we hold of her will sustain us in the days to come as we adjust to a world without her in it.

Marilyn is survived by her children, Emily Davis, Eric Nilsson (Julie), Jane McCullough (Tim), Tom Nilsson (Tina), Steve Nilsson (Christy), 12 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren and her brother, John Moore.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her infant son, John Joseph Nilsson, her brother, Joseph Moore and dear friend and partner, Gilbert Rusk.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 10:30 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 4500 Wadsworth Blvd, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.

In lieu of flowers, Marilyn’s family would like to request that memorial donations be made to: Marycrest Assisted Living, 2850 Columbine Rd. Denver, CO 80221.