Funeral services for Marilyn P. Atherton, 91, of Aurelia, will be at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at the First Congregational Church in Aurelia.  With Pastor Timmy Jones officiating.   Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church. Burial in Barnes Township Cemetery, Linn Grove, Iowa. Redig Funeral Home of Aurelia is in charge of the services.

Marilyn Phyllis Movick was born September 13, 1932 at Ottosen, Iowa, and baptized at the Trinity Church in Ottosen. She was the oldest of the three girls that were born to Ben and Evelyn (Olson) Movick. She graduated from High School in Linn Grove in 1950. She then continued her education at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake and graduated with a teacher’s certificate in 1952. She met her future husband Gordon at a 4-H skating party in Spencer in March of 1948. They were married in the Lutheran Church at Linn Grove on July 17, 1952. Shortly after that Gordon was drafted into the U.S. Army and Marilyn taught fourth grade in Linn Grove. When Gordon was honorably discharged from the service they moved to Elizabethtown, KY, where Gordon worked in Benningfield’s Furniture Store and Marilyn taught kids at an overflow room in Howevalley, KY. They then moved back to Linn Grove, in December of 1954. Gordon worked at the Linn Grove Elevator. Later they moved to Sioux Rapids and Marilyn finished out teaching the school year in 1956. They then moved to Cherokee where Gordon worked for Matt Furniture. In March of 1957 they moved to Sioux Rapids, and farmed with Gordon’s dad. In March of 1958 they moved to the farm south of Aurelia. Marilyn then taught school at Highview. Starting in the fall of 1960, Marilyn taught second grade in Aurelia for two years and then in the fall of 1965 she taught third grade for 2 years in Cherokee. Marilyn then took time off to have her third child Sherri. She then went back to teaching in Cherokee in the fall of 1968 where she taught third grade at Lincoln School. Marilyn went back to Buena Vista and received her B.A in May 1972. Marylin and Gordon moved into Aurelia in March of 1992. She started teaching in Aurelia in 1974 and continued until retiring in 1998.

Marilyn died on Friday, December 22, 2023 at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center in Cherokee.

Preceding Marilyn in death were her husband Gordon on November 24, 2017, her parents Ben and Evelyn (Olson) Movick, parents-in-law Max and Lucille Atherton, one sister Karen Thrasher, and one brother-in-law Kenneth Peterson.

Survivors include two sons; Gary and his wife Janet Atherton of Pocahontas, IA and Greg and his wife Peggy Atherton of Ocheyedan, IA, one daughter Sherri and her husband Greg Schoenfelder of Sioux City, IA. Also surviving are six grandchildren; Sandra and her husband Jason Warren of Spencer, Grant and his wife Dr. Rachel Atherton of De Pere, WI, Alexis Atherton of Brewster, MN, Gannon Atherton of Hartley, Garrett Atherton of Ocheyedan, Jack Schoenfelder of Sioux City, five great-grand-children Brayden, Carter, Addison, and Avery Warren of Spencer, Rylie Atherton of De Pere, WI, one sister Jan Peterson of Aurelia, and other relatives and friends.