Marilyn Joan Gerlach

Marilyn Joan Gerlach, age 83, of La Grande, died April 15, 2014 at her home. A funeral will begin at 11:00 a.m. at Daniels~Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 7th Street in La Grande. Committal and interment will follow at the Island City Cemetery. To sign the on-line guestbook visit: www.danielsknopp.com.Marilyn was born on March 27, 1931, the daughter of Webster Lee and Alberta May (Burson) McCarty in Spokane, Washington. She graduated from North Central High School in Spokane and then attended one year of college at Eastern Washington College of Education where she was on the Honor Roll. On July 8, 1950 she was married to Charles "Chuck" Henry Gerlach in Spokane. They raised a family and wheat farmed in Mikkalo, Oregon. In 1965 they bought a farm and moved to La Grande. In 1969 she started working for Eastern Oregon College as secretary for Campus Relations. In 1974 she began work for the Grande Ronde Hospital where she was Administrative Assistant of Nursing. She retired in 1997 after 23 years of service in a job she was devoted to and loved so much. She loved going fishing with her father at Deer Lake in Washington. When they lived in Mikkalo she was active with the Condon Order of Eastern Star and served as their Worthy Matron. She enjoyed ceramics and golfing. After their respective retirements Marilyn and Chuck enjoyed vacationing in Hawaii and playing golf there. Her greatest hobby was her family. She enjoyed family gatherings where she could cook for everyone.Survivors include her sons and their spouses, Craig and Marcene Gerlach, Michael and Cecelia Gerlach and Terry and Sherrie Gerlach; son-in-law, Denny Lentfer; Sister and her husband, Barbara and Paul Davis; nine grandchildren; twenty great grandchildren; and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter, Lisa Lentfer, daughter-in-law, Barbara Gerlach and granddaughters, Misty Dawn Gerlach and Courtney Lentfer Smith.Those who wish may make contributions in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association in care of Daniels~Knopp.

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