Marlyn Walther, 88, passed away in the night on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at Discovery Care Centre in Hamilton, Montana with her daughters at her bedside.

Marlyn Lola (Harmon) Walther was born on August 27, 1935 in Unionville, MI to John Harmon and Lola (Ewald) Harmon.  She was the second of three children in her family and grew up in various communities in Michigan including Detroit and Bay City.  She graduated from Fairgrove High School in 1953 and went to secretarial school, working for Consumer Power Company upon graduation and for the next ten years.

Marlyn married Wayne Walther on October 22, 1960 and they were married for 57 years before Wayne's passing in 2018.  The couple lived in Breckenridge, MI and Petersburg, MI before moving to Minnesota in 1971.  She worked with Wayne in his edible bean business in Clarkfield and was a Certified Nurses Aid at the Clarkfield Nursing Home for many years.  Wayne and Marlyn raised their children in Clarkfield and moved to Montevideo before retiring in Hamilton, MT in 2000.

Marlyn and Wayne loved living in the Bitterroot Valley and enjoyed leisurely walks and drives in the mountains.  They became train travelers in their retirement, taking the train from Whitefish to visit their daughters and their families many times.  Marlyn was a leader in the Marcus Daly Hospital Auxiliary and was named volunteer of the year for her work there.

For the past several years, Marlyn lived at Discovery Care Centre in Hamilton and was loved by her caregivers there. Everyone who knew her was aware of her love of music – she knew hundreds of songs by heart and was known for singing hymns or Broadway tunes out loud whenever the mood struck her.  She also sang in church choirs and was an avid bowler and walker.

She is survived by her two daughters, Barbara (Brad) Anderson of Orono, MN and Maria (Brett) Erlandson of Fergus Falls, MN and their children – Alec Anderson of New York, NY; Taylor Erlandson of Fargo, ND; Collin Anderson of Minneapolis, MN; and Riley Erlandson of Alexandia, MN.  Marlyn was preceded in death by her husband Wayne, her parents, her sister Mary Ann and her brother John.

The family is planning a private memorial in a few weeks.