MONTPELIER, VT Marilyn Arlene (Youngman) Johnson, beloved wife, mother and grandmother died peacefully on Feb. 18, 2017, in Montpelier, Vermont, after a lengthy struggle with lymphoma. She was the first child of Melvin and Dorothea (Oehlberg) Youngman, born in West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois on September 1, 1938. Marilyn attended public schools in Oak Park and graduated from Oak Park River Forest High School in 1956. She attended and graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, in 1960, where she met the love of her life and devoted husband Bernie Johnson. As a member of the Phi Rho Sorority at Augustana Marilyn made lifelong dear friends. Marilyn and Bernie married the summer after they graduated at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Oak Park where Marilyn attended services growing up. Following college graduation Marilyn and Bernie lived briefly in Carbondale, Illinois where Bernie attended graduate school and Marilyn was an elementary school teacher. In 1963 they settled in Monpelier, VT where they have lived for the past 53 years and raised their three children, Janel Marie, Peter David and Timothy Paul. Motherhood was one of Marilyn's greatest joys and she relished the day-to-day demands, challenges and surprises that came with the role of being a mother. While raising her family Marilyn was very active in her local community. She spent time as teacher in area elementary schools, as a long-time volunteer for the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center, as a Gary Home board member in Montpelier, as a member of the Montpelier Clover Garden Club, and as a very involved member of Bethany Church. While working at the Chamber of Commerce Marilyn developed a fall foliage home host program placing hundreds of leaf peepers in local homes as way to encourage and support tourism for the state. Marilyn also acted as a tour guide, providing local flavor and insights, for busloads of tourists visiting from all over the world. Marilyn was perfect in this role as she had a gift for making new friends with everyone she met and creating a sense of community, making everyone feel welcome. As a board member at the Gary Home one of her favorite jobs was to brighten the residents lives by delivering flowers on each resident's birthday. She also actively participated in the establishment of the Westview Meadows retirement community. At Bethany Church Marilyn enjoyed participating in the hand bell choir as well as the church choir. This gave her a wonderful opportunity to engage in her love of music as part of her spiritual community. In addition, Marilyn served as a Sunday School teacher and on the Christian Education Committee. Marilyn nurtured her love of flowers and gardening as a long-time member of Montpelier's Clover Garden Club. The beautiful perennial gardens surrounding her home are testimony to her skill and appreciation of nature's beauty. After retirement and with their children grown, Marilyn and Bernie began to spend winters in Winter Haven Florida. Marilyn and Bernie quickly became active in their winter community and made many lasting friendships. She is survived by her husband Bernie Johnson of Montpelier, her three children, daughter Janel Johnson, her husband Ken Jones, their children Annie, Carolyn, and Henry of Montpelier; son Peter Johnson and his wife, Barbara, of Newton, MA; and her son, Timothy Johnson of Montpelier. Also surviving her are her brother Robert (Laila) Youngman of Pleasant Prairie, WI, sister Carol (John) Rader of Bettendorf, IA and several in-laws, nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Hope Lodge (run by the American Cancer Society), 237 East Ave, Burlington, VT 05401, and Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602. A memorial service to celebrate Marilyn's life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier, Vermont. Immediately following the service there will be a reception where family and friends are welcome.