Marilyn Mae Skelton

Marilyn, 77, of Centennial, Colorado passed away on May 22nd, 2013. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Tom Skelton; her children, Kerry, Kimberly Miller and Kevin; and three grandchildren, Devin, Kelsi and Taylor.

Marilyn was born in Coffeyville, Kansas, on May 3rd, 1936 where she grew up on her parent’s farm, first attending a one room rural school and then graduating from Field Kindley High School, Class of 1953, with honors. She attended Kansas State University, receiving a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Home Economics in 1957, and a Master’s of Science in 1958. She began her long and distinguished teaching career in 1962 upon joining the University of Wyoming faculty in the Food and Nutrition Department, where she also earned her Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry in 1969.

She remained in academia throughout her working career holding positions with the Army Education Center at Grafenwhoer, Germany, another term with Kansas State University, the University of Denver, and the National American University. At DU, where she taught many years in the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, she received the prestigious Cecil Puckett Award in 1990, recognizing the most outstanding faculty member within the college of Business Administration. In addition to teaching a full load at DU’s main campus, she counseled students at that university’s Weekend Women’s College, receiving a Distinguished Service Award. She retired from the profession as the Academic Dean at National American University in 1998.

After retirement, she became interested in genealogy, researching not only her own family, but also assisting in tracing the linage of over 80 other families. She loved gardening and volunteered nearly 800 hours a year for nearly five years with the Denver Botanical gardens Herb Guild, serving as co-chairman of the guild for two years.

She was fond of music and cooking throughout her life, and a talented pianist and gourmet chef in her own right, asked numerous times to play at the weddings of her Clovia Sorority sisters and honored to be asked to self-cater her parents golden anniversary and her daughter’s wedding receptions’.

Marilyn married her husband Tom, whom she met at Kansas State University, on October 4th, 1958 at the First Church of the Nazarene, in Coffeyville, KS. She supported Tom’s military career and was active in military communities and a member of the Officer’s Wives Club at numerous locations.

A visitation will be held Wednesday, May 29, 2013 from 5-7pm at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 11150 East Dartmouth Avenue, Aurora, Colorado. A Funeral Service will be held Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 9:30am at Smoky Hill United Methodist Church, 19491 East Smoky Hill Road, Centennial, Colorado 80015. Interment will follow at Fort Logan National Cemetery at 12 noon, 3698 South Sheridan Boulevard, Denver, Colorado 80235. A reception will be held following burial at the Denver Botanic Gardens in the Romantic Gardens section from 3-5pm, 1007 York St, Denver, Colorado 80206.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to support families coping with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), 1201 East Colfax Avenue, Suite 202, Denver, Colorado 80218 or the Denver Botanic Gardens Marilyn Skelton Fund, 1007 York Street, Denver, Colorado 80206.

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