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Marilyn Jean Gruber was born July 18, 1932, on a farm west of Fontanelle and died July 24, 2023, after a long illness. She was the third daughter born to Oscar and Julia Gruber.
Marilyn attended the Fontanelle Independent School District the first twelve years of her schooling and was very involved in many school activities. She graduated with honors, being salutatorian of her class in 1949.
Marilyn attended and was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle, where she was baptized and confirmed.
Marilyn received her bachelor of science degree in home economics from Iowa State College in 1953. This was the beginning of a long career in teaching in Florida and Michigan.
In December 1953, she was married to William Mooneyham and to this union was born Melissa Ann in 1957. The family resided in Fort Lauderdale and Pinellas Park, Florida and moved to Livonia, Michigan, in 1963. Marilyn taught in the Crestwood School District in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, for 27 years and retired from teaching in Michigan in 1991.
In 1987, William Mooneyham died of cancer after 34 years of marriage. In May 1991, Marilyn was married to William Overmyer of Greenfield and moved from Michigan to Greenfield. She was soon back into teaching as a substitute teacher as well as teaching graduate classes for the Area Education Association and Viterbo University of LaCrosse, Wisconsin. In all, she taught at least 50 years. She always said she grew up wanting to be a teacher and it was all she ever wanted to do career-wise.
In 2007, her husband of 17 years, William Overmyer, died of cancer and Marilyn returned to Michigan to be near her daughter and family. She was an active member of PEO Chapter EA, First Presbyterian Church of Northville Women’s Club and two book discussion groups. During the last 2 1/2 years as her health declined she moved to an assisted living facility, and then passed away at Angela Hospice in Livonia, Michigan.
Marilyn has been blessed with and survived by daughter Melissa and son-in-law Darr Babcock and four grandchildren: Emily Anderson, Bill (Katie) Brewington, Lydia (Bryce) Hutton and Jacob Babcock; five great grandchildren: Kane, Kya, Kolette, Keira and Aiden; sister, Marlene McVay; brother-in-law, Wayne Mangels; many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her two husbands; her parents, Oscar and Julia Gruber; her sister and brother-in-law, Roweba and Russell Johnson; her sister Romona and brother-in-law William Halpenny; her sister Shirley Mangels; her brother-in-law Robert McVay; her nephew Patrick McVay and two nieces: Nancy Winkleman and Jennifer Mangels.
A funeral service was held July 28. Marilyn requested any donations go to the First Presbyterian Church of Northville, PEO EA Chapter or Angela Hospice.