Siblings at Mom and Dad’s house
Most of us had arrived in Cincinnati by Friday, August 1st. The renters that had been staying in mom and dad's house still hadn’t completely moved out. Dad, Aunt Elaine and Grant and his family stayed at the house. The rest of us stayed at the Marriott downtown. The gorgeous view out our hotel window of the skyline reminded me of how much mom loved Cincinnati. On Friday morning John and Grant helped Dad with some Internet questions. The Edwards made airport runs and printed the programs for the memorial service. The Parks were still driving from GA. The rest of us spent the afternoon at the aquarium. For dinner that night church members had dropped off Panera sandwiches, chips, fruit, salad and Buskin cookies. That evening Becky, Heather and I went to Kohl's to get picture frames for the memorial service. Before going to our hotel, several of us walked around the cemertary.
Saturday we all arrived at the stake center by 10am. Several women in the Relief Society had helped decorate the Relief Society room. We greeted all of mom’s friends from church, work and our neighborhood for over an hour. Family members came from all over (UT, PA, MD, AR...). The memorial service was beautiful. All of the grandchildren sang "I Feel My Savior's Love”. All of the son-in-laws, Grant and Todd did a beautiful job singing "I Know That My Redeemer Lives". When we asked Mom why she wanted that hymn she said, "Because I know." My siblings and I all spoke. Dad was the concluding speaker. We had a nice service at the gravesite too and a delicious lunch back at the church where the center pieces were all about gardening (mom’s hobby).
Saturday evening we went back to Dad’s house. The adults sat on the front porch of mom and dad’s house and talked for hours while the cousins played in the yard. We didn’t want the night to end.
Brittany, Emma, Rachel and Maggie
Each of us were given a red rose to place on the table next to mom’s urn.
Posterity mom can be proud of!
This is one of my favorite pictures of mom.
Grant blessed his fourth son Simon after the luncheon. What a great blessing circle. A few days later Austin opened his mission call to Nampa, Idaho.
Mom’s Obituary
Marilyn Anne Mains McAllister passed away at her daughter’s home in Salt Lake City, UT on July 24, 2014 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born August 15, 1947 in Carlisle, PA to the late Walter and Helen (Menges) Mains. Upon completion of her junior year at Eastern High School, Wrightsville, PA in 1964, she enrolled in the College of Nursing at Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, where she was the recipient of a full tuition scholarship. She returned to graduate with her class and receive her high school diploma in 1965. When she married, she transferred to UCLA College of Nursing and received her BS degree in 1968.
She married Kenneth Fielding McAllister on June 20, 1967 in the Salt Lake City Temple. They started married life in Los Angeles, CA and also lived in Littleton, CO and Webster Groves, MO before settling in Amelia, OH in 1977. She was employed as a nurse by TriHealth Cincinnati at both Bethesda Oak and Bethesda North Hospitals for thirty-three years.
When Marilyn was fifteen, she and her family investigated and became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She held many church leadership positions in the local and greater Cincinnati area Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary organizations. She taught an early morning seminary class for four years to high school students. She also loved teaching adult Gospel Doctrine Sunday School classes and faithfully serving as church organist. Her last assignment was as a missionary in Malaysia with her husband.
She was a great supporter of her children’s and grandchildren’s activities. She served two years as PTO president of the middle school. She loved to travel in the United States but was also fortunate to visit countries all over the world in Europe, Asia, and Central and South America. She also enjoyed working in her very impressive garden.
She is survived by her husband, Kenneth, of 47 years and their six children: Marcia (Richard) Edwards, Amelia, OH; Karen (Michael) Wilkinson, Salt Lake City, UT; Laurel (John) Larsen, Shanghai, China; Rebecca (C. Barr) Hill, Ladera Ranch, CA; Grant (Anna Reynolds) McAllister, Silver Spring, MD; and Heather (Colby) Park, Ft. Benning, GA; and twenty-eight grandchildren. Her three siblings are Elaine (Arvid) Mortensen, Bradley (Cheri) Mains, and Alan (Louise) Mains.
Friends and family are invited to attend a Memorial Gathering on August 2nd at 10:00 a.m. followed by a Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 8250 Cornell Rd., Montgomery, OH 45249.
Arrangements are handled by Larkin Mortuaries in Salt Lake City, UT and E.C. Nurre Funeral Homes in Amelia, OH.
Burial will take place at the Pierce Township Cemetery in Clermont County, OH. In lieu of flowers, the McAllister family kindly suggests that memorials be made in her name to the LDS Charities Humanitarian Fund, 15 E South Temple JSMB 2E Salt Lake City, UT 84150, 801-240-5567, www.ldsphilanthropies.org.
