My apologies for waiting a year.

Marilyn Patricia (Duncan) Athey died of cancer at Milbank Care and Rehabilitation Center in South Dakota on June 28, 2018, at the age of 84. She was born in Brawley, Calif., to Lynn and Marian (Caswell) Duncan, but grew up mainly in Oak Harbor and graduated in 1952 from Oak Harbor High School.

Marilyn married Stanley Athey, a Marine at NASWI, and they soon moved to Clinton, Minn., where he had roots. In 1964 they moved to Lead, S.D., where Stanley was employed in a gold mining operation. Following a mining accident, they moved to Big Stone City, S.D. They divorced, each remarried and divorced, and they eventually remarried each other. Stanley passed away from a medical error while in the hospital.

Marilyn volunteered countless hours to the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and the Tabor United Methodist Church, as well as holding down full-time jobs at a local cheese factory and later at St. Williams Care Center, Angela Hall. She loved family gatherings, Minnesota sports, playing board games and cards, and playing softball, badminton, horseshoes and bowling. She was a good neighbor and friend to many and an attentive and loving sister, mom, grandma and great-grandma.

Preceding Marilyn in death were her parents, ex-husband Fred Murcray Jr., husband Stanley, son Larry, grandson Jesse and half-brothers Warren and Carl Duncan. Left to cherish her memory are her sons, Leslie of Clinton, Minn., Robert (Marcy) of Big Stone City, S.D. and Dale (Pam) of Panama City, Fla.; daughter Teresa of Willmar, Minn.; sisters Janet (Marvin) Schultz of Spanaway and Barbara (Bill) Strowbridge of Oak Harbor; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.