Marilyn Carr Obituary

Marilyn J Gibbs Carr (79) passed away Sunday, June 29 at home surrounded by her children. She was born August 6, 1945 to Donald Clifford "Coondog" Gibbs and Stella May Murphy Gibbs. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sons Lukus Donald Carr and Travis Wesley Carr; her brother Donald "Donnie" Leroy Gibbs; her sister(-in-law) Jill Gibbs; her longtime soulmate Richard Leroy Morris; and numerous pets including, most recently, Wonder, Pearl, Mia, Fluffy, and Junior. She is survived by her daughter, Jane L Carr (Rodney) Carman; son Kenneth G (Stan) Carr-Kediorski; her grandchildren, Leslie Raine Carman and Dakota Dustin Carman; and her cat, Punky.

Born to be a farmer, Marilyn enjoyed all farm species and working in the fields with her father from a young age. As a child, she enjoyed putting scarves on cats and dogs to pack them around the barnyard. She graduated from Galesburg High School. Durning her time at Knoxville High School, she was a cheerleader, homecoming queen, and met her lifelong friends "The Sassy Sisters" (Wanda Erwin-Donovan, Marilee Johnson, Louise Swanson, Mary Ruth Kennett, and the late Marg Derham). Marilyn worked 20+ years at Bridgeway in Galesburg, Illinois where she helped numerous families and the community. For years she organized and collected and distributed holiday gifts for children in need. It was at Bridgeway, she met her friend and partner in crime, Mary Knox. Together the two traveled to ice cream joints near and far and enjoyed visiting the geese in Canton.

Marilyn relied on the company of good friend Barry Brashier who was like a brother to her, helping her whenever she needed it and who was always up for a good conversation. She also relied on several other good friendships, including that of Wayne and Kit Davis, Troy and Katie Kirgan, Matt Hennenfent, Andy Fritz, Janet Collopy, Frances Hawthorne, Sue Bresnahan and Bill Schumaker and many others that made her life richer with every visit. She was grateful for every one of her close friends, many of whom are sadly not mentioned as she did not write this little note. Marilyn loved to make people smile and laugh using an odd but hilarious sense of humor she passed down to her grandchildren, Leslie and Dakota. Her kindness and humor were her strength.

Her hobbies included riding and jumping mules as well as riding in a scoop shovel being pulled by her father and his mule in races. She won hog calling contests and once beat several much younger men to catch and pen a greased pig in a tractor tire at the Abingdon Festival. She also enjoyed attending tractor shows with Richard and her restored antique tractors so she could listen to and tell her own stories. Not to be outdone by the storytelling farmers are known for, she was a master at the art of visiting. She is also the author of Death of a Man (2011) and several nonfictions and other short works currently being collected and edited for forthcoming literary works.

Marilyn spent most of her life caring for others including her own children, her grandparents and parents, her in-laws, and friends and strangers (of all species). She was a bright light attracting good people wherever she went. Marilyn left behind a trail of smiles, warm hearts, positively changed lives, and beautiful memories; she will be greatly missed by her loved ones.

Private funeral services will be held through the Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Homes & Crematory. Memorials may be made to the Galesburg Community Foundation; https://gcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list, Galesburg, Illinois;