3 January 1931 – 4 June 2019

Marilyn Jean Minnis Hutchinson passed away peacefully on June 4 at her home in Fenton, MO with family at her side.

Marilyn was born 3 Jan 1931, on the McQuiston family farm in Deer Creek Township, Mercer County, PA to Paul W. and Rita McQuiston Minnis. The first of three children, her aunt teased that she was a “pill” from the start because she refused bottles and had to be fed milk from a spoon until she could drink from a cup. She was the first red-headed grandchild and a favorite of her Pap, Elmer E. Minnis who used to skip with her and take her for ice cream.

Marilyn had a large extended family and spent a lot of time on the McQuiston farm where she was “raised” by various aunts, uncles and her grandparents. She spent her school years in Meadville, PA where her father was a draftsman with McCroskey Tool Corp. and her mother volunteered, canning vegetables for the school lunch program. At age 10 she spent the summer helping to run the farm house while her grandmother was in the hospital, it was there that she learned to cook on a wood stove. After high school, Marilyn attended Edinboro State Teacher’s College, receiving her teaching credential in 1953. It was at Edinboro that she met the love of her life and partner of nearly 63 years, Lawrence F. Hutchinson “Hutch”. They married 15 Aug 1953 in Meadville, PA. After the wedding, Marilyn gave up her planned first teaching position at Kerrtown, PA and they moved to Lakeville, OH where Hutch was a school principal.

Marilyn always said the cold, snowy winters were a major reason for the family’s move to southern California in 1960. Initially a stay-at-home-mom, as the kids got older Marilyn became active in the Los Angeles Diocese of the Episcopal Church. After Hutch retired they moved to Devil’s Lake in Otis, OR, where they enjoyed living on the water and being close to their newest grandchildren. Marilyn took up knitting and crafts, and worked part time at her ideal job – a bookstore where she was “required” to read books to better help the customers. After a few years, not satisfied to spend retirement in one place, they signed up for two extended periods as guest hosts at Silver Falls State Park in Oregon, followed by nearly two years of travel in a camper, visiting family and friends across the U.S. With their adult children spread out across the country, Marilyn and Hutch began a quest to find the best place to live, leading them to live in NM, TX, CA and MO before finally returning to OR in 2011. At her final home in Fenton, she enjoyed playing bingo, listening to digital books, attending church, and calls and visits from her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her kindness, humor and bright smile will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Marilyn was preceded in death by husband Lawrence Frederick Hutchinson “Hutch” (10 June 2016). She is survived by two siblings Paul R. (Kiki) Minnis and Kay (William) Arnett; five children Pam, Robin (Rocky) Hunter, Lawrence (Joan), Mark (Jenny) and Diane (Ed) Newby; eleven grandchildren; and 6 great grandchildren.

A memorial service with Eucharist will be held at 10:00 am, June 18^th at Church of the Advent, 9373 Garber Rd. St Louis 63126.