Marilyn B. (Brown) Egner

Marilyn Brown Egner

Daughter, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and Friend

Marilyn was the only child of Dorothy Blazer and R. E. Brown. She was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dorothy was a homemaker and R. E. was a Captain in the Arkansas State Police. Marilyn graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1957 and graduated from St. Vincent’s Nursing Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1960. Marilyn Sue Brown and James Edward Egner were married September 17, 1960 in Little Rock. She worked as a registered nurse at Springdale Hospital, Springdale, Arkansas, to help Jim complete college. After Jim graduated from the University of Arkansas, he accepted employment at Eastman Chemical Company and they moved to Longview, Texas in 1961.

Larry and Carlene Partain introduced Marilyn and Jim to First Christian Church, which they joined in late 1961. Many Life-long friendships developed from that introduction.

Marilyn became a mother in 1964 to Lisa and again in 1967 to Jimmy. Marilyn later became a grandmother to Bret Nash, Ryan Nash, Lauren Egner, David Egner, and a step grandmother to Nathaniel Fino. She and James were married for 59 ½ years. Marilyn passed away in her sleep on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020. There will be a closed casket service at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at Welch’s Funeral Home in Longview, Texas.

Marilyn was truly a quality person: Religious, Faithful, Loving, Devoted, Supportive, Helpful, Caring, Compassionate, Artistic, Musical, Skillfull, and a good example of a person. Her life was filled with examples of these qualities.

Religious: She was a long-time member of the First Christian Church and choir. She especially loved the choir, music, and its members.

Faithful: Marilyn and Jim were married for 59 ½ years: A wonderful marriage. She hoped to live long enough to see her 60th wedding anniversary but did not quite make it.

Loving: She loved her family, church family, and friends. She had 2 children, Lisa and Jim, her daughter-in-law Angela, four grandchildren, Bret Nash, Ryan Nash, Lauren Egner, David Egner, one step-grandson, Nathaniel Fino. She had many friends of 60 plus years such as Larry and Carlene Partain, Bob and Joana Adams, Robert and Rosalee Floyd, Owen and Jean Therneau and family friend, David Smelley.

Devoted: She had a great devotion to relatives and serving the church. She was a past elder of the church and was involved in many church activities and projects over the years.

Supportive: Marilyn was supportive of Jim’s job and ambitions, of her children’s dreams and activities, as well as supportive, of her grandchildren’s dreams and efforts.

Helpful: She served as school board member for six years while the children attended Hallsville Schools. She loved to help with the church garage sale and did help for many years.

Caring: She cared about people, their problems and their successes. She cared for the wild creatures at her home place. The hummingbirds, raccoons, fox, and deer were wildlife she enjoyed feeding for years. She was a member of the Hallsville Chamber of Commerce, President of the PTA for several years and one of the first women to serve on the HISD school board. She wasn’t interested in having the best name brand clothes, or the biggest house, but instead she preferred to share with her children and grandchildren to help them get ahead.

Compassionate: Marilyn participated in Habitat for Humanity, as well as helped others less fortunate.

Artistic, Musical, and Skillful: She was a skilled oil painter and décor painter, restorer of antiques, conducted arts and crafts with her children and grandchildren, quilter, seamstress-sewing her children’s clothes: she was a family historian of 45 years, soprano soloist, and loved to touch up scratched furniture and wall.

Good Example: Marilyn tried to live her life as a true Christian and strove to be a good role model and example to her children and grandchildren.

She was a registered nurse, but chose to be a full time home maker to take care of her children and Jim, and later to help raise grandchildren. She loved to eat out with her family and friends at the Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel, Mexican Food, Casa Ole’ and she loved their green sauce as well as David’s ribeye steaks. She participated in the Lions Club Broadway Productions, First Christian Church and Choir for over 50 years, was a member of Hallsville Chamber of Commerce, was one of the first female School Board Members of Hallsville ISD, Member and former Chaplain of Trammel’s Trace Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, President of the Hallsville PTA, and Campfire Girls Leader for 6 years.

Marilyn was tough. I mean really tough! She had many battles with health issues over the years. She successfully won all but her one final battle.

·   She overcame breast cancer twice and was a first time cancer survivor for over 25 years.

·   She was a second time cancer survivor 14 years

·   Survived heart valve surgery for repair of 2 valve

·   Endured 2 minor strokes

·   Survived internal bleeding on blood thinners

·   Overcame lymphedema of the right arm

·   As well as enduring other minor health problems

·   Her final battle was with metastatic breast cancer that had spread throughout her       body. By then, she could have no more radiation and she was unable to delay the    cancer due to her damaged bone marrow’s inability to quickly produce blood components. This delaying of treatments led to the point that chemo could not effectively combat the spreading cancer.

The first 59 years of marriage were very good. The last ½ year was extremely tough.

She was adventurous, and loved to travel with Jim to exotic places associated with his work. She loved to interact with foreign people and try to learn some of their language, and customs. She loved learning about and understanding people of other cultures.

She always wanted the best for everyone.

Marilyn passed away peacefully in her sleep, around 11pm May 25, on Memorial Day.

Marilyn will be missed, but kept in our memories as a great wife, mother, grandmother friend, and all around quality person.

We would like to thank our family and friends for loving Marilyn.