Marilyn Swanson, 80, of North Platte, NE, passed away at Centennial Park Retirement Village on Saturday, Apr. 25, 2020. A private family burial was in Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens. Marilyn was born to Delmon and Lucille Van Zante on Mar. 8, 1940, in Lynnville. She grew up in and graduated high school from Lynnville-Sully then went to work at Grinnell General Hospital.
On July 16, 1970, in the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Marilyn was united in marriage to Robert “Bob’” Swanson. The couple lived in Grinnell a few years before moving to North Platte in 1973. Marilyn then went to work as a secretary for Platte Valley Finance for 25 years. She and Bob were married for over 28 years when he passed away.
In 2001, Marilyn met Ken Ladely. They started a business, K & M Improvements, and enjoyed country dancing together. After Ken died in 2009, Marilyn met Rich Gillming five years later, and they liked spending their time traveling and camping at the lake.
Marilyn was a member of First United Methodist Church, P.R. Halligan Post #163 American Legion Auxiliary, Eagle’s Aeries Auxiliary #2839, and the Women of the Moose Lodge. Marilyn was also a member and Queen of a local Red Hat Society.
She loved sewing, crafts, and music and enjoyed participating in craft shows and traveling. Marilyn visited many different countries in Europe and went to England in 2000 for the Boy Scouts International Jamboree. She was even a Nebraska Ambassador of Music with her grandson, Scott, in 2001. Marilyn loved her family and enjoyed her life.
Along with her husband, Bob, she was preceded in death by her parents, stepfather Herb Smith, and brother-in-law Dwayne Bruinekool.
Marilyn is survived by her daughter Kimberlee (Rodney) Ury of North Platte; grandsons, Robert (Melissa) Ury and Scott (Stacy) Ury; great-grandchildren, Eli, Abigail, Wyatt, and Hunter; sister, Marcella Bruinekool (friend, Chet Mathes), of Oskaloosa; and other family.
