Marilyn Jeanette Anderson

AIKEN, SC - Marilyn Jeanette Anderson died on February 14, 2021 at Trinity Lutheran Home in Aiken, South Carolina.
     Marilyn Jeanette (Lowe) Anderson was born near Gettysburg, South Dakota to Wilbert  and Bernice (Davidson) Lowe on December 3, 1927.  She attended school in Gettysburg until the family moved to Bryant, SD in 1937, where she continued her education.  After graduating from Bryant High School in 1946, she lived and worked in Sioux Falls.
     Marilyn married Dean W. Anderson on June 27, 1948 and they had two daughters, Debra and Lisa. Dean and Marilyn lived and worked on their farm near Bryant their entire married life.  Dean passed away in 2009.  In 2018, Marilyn reluctantly moved from her home of 70 years  to Aiken, South Carolina and resided at Trinity Lutheran Home.
     Marilyn was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith.  She and Dean were faithful members of Clara Lutheran Church near Erwin for many years.  They then joined Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bryant.  Marilyn was an active Church member as a Sunday School teacher, Bible School Director, Youth group leader, a Ladies Aid and WELCA member and officer and a member of the quilting guild and Bible Study participant.
     She also volunteered in her community.  Marilyn was a long time member of Parkview Nursing Home Auxiliary and volunteered at Parkview for many years. When Dean was in the SD Legislature, she was a member of the Capitol Club and helped produce their successful cookbook.  

     She and Dean loved to travel and took many trips including Europe, the Middle East and China plus visiting all 50 states except Hawaii. Marilyn loved to read.  She was an excellent seamstress, gardener, cook and baker. She enjoyed family game nights and was the queen of Trivial Pursuit.  She was called The Cat Whisperer for the many cats she named and cared for throughout her life, and a bird lover, too.  Even on the coldest wintery days, she would be tending the birds and her cats. Most of all, Marilyn loved her family.
     Marilyn is survived by her daughters, Debra Anderson (John D. Milne) of Washington, DC, Lisa Roberts (Barry) of Aiken, SC, her beloved grandchildren Ineka Pitt (Andrew), David Roberts, Jonathan Roberts, Elizabeth Milne, Scott Milne (Erika) along with great- grandchildren Lauren Pitt and Jack Milne. She is also survived by her sister Virginia Cluts of Frankfort, SD and sister-in-law Rosalie Ryan of Sioux Falls along with many nieces and nephews.

     Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Dean, and her parents Wilbert and Bernice Lowe, her sisters and their husbands Vivian and Maynard Juntunen, Muriel and Elwood Resick, Laurel and Jim Ryan, her brother Mervin Lowe and his wife Betty, her brother-in- law George Cluts and a nephew Jimmy Ryan.  Also, her in- laws David and Dolly Paterson, Arthur and Frances Anderson, Gene and Chet Maluchnik.
     There will be a private service with burial to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Bryant, South Dakota.  Final arrangements have been provided by Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home, Aiken, SC and Osthus Funeral Home, De Smet, SD.  The family extends a thank you to the staff at Trinity on Laurens for the care they provided Marilyn.

     Memorials may be directed to:  Woodlawn Cemetery, c/o Jerry Sauder, P.O. Box 94, Bryant, SD 57221; Our Redeemer Lutheran Church WELCA, or Our Redeemer Lutheran Church Quilting Guild, P.O. Box 115, Bryant, SD 57221.

SHELLHOUSE – RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC