Marilyn Ilene Terpstra was born July 10, 1940, to Dick and Minnie (Van Maanen) Terpstra.  She was the "middle" child of the family, with five older siblings and five younger siblings.  As was typical of that day in rural Iowa, caring for her younger siblings and working hard to contribute to the family's livelihood were a big part of her growing up years.  She attended the Lynnville-Sully schools before moving to Pella at the tender age of 16.

Leaving her brief childhood behind, Marilyn began full-time employment and shortly after met her future husband, Marvin May, of Attica.  By this time, Marilyn had a deeply rooted faith.  Marvin, however, did not.  It was Marilyn who changed the trajectory of both their lives when she led him to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.  Marvin and Marilyn's faith became the cornerstone of their lives and their marriage and has been a legacy passed on to their children and grandchildren.  They were married at age 18 on October 10, 1958, and within five years had completed their family with the births of son Mark, and daughters Monica and Melissa.

At 19 years of age, the young couple embarked on a surprising adventure.  After living in an apartment at the same home where Wyatt Earp was born, the couple moved into another apartment house and, in due time, had the opportunity to buy it for $500.  The only problem was that they would have to move it.  So, for $1000 (and another $1000 for an empty lot on the corner of Lincoln and East 3rd Streets), they moved the home, gutted and remodeled it, and Marvin installed heat for the home the night before their son Mark was born on October 17, 1960.  To supplement the high costs of this endeavor, they then rented the upstairs as a separate apartment.

Seeking to contribute income to the family while raising three young children, Marilyn began working for the company Toy Parade, a catalog and in-home business where she honed her sales skills and charmed ladies into buying toys and gifts for the home.  Later she opened and ran her own flower shop, The Mayflower, where she indulged her great love of flower arranging.  Many a wedding, funeral, and Valentine's Day bouquet were enhanced by her creativity.  Other jobs throughout the years included being a waitress, a receptionist, and a salesperson at Vandenberg's in Pella.

While she was amazingly adept and understandably proud of all her career accomplishments, Marilyn had many other interests as well.  She taught herself to play piano and organ, was a member of the garden club, enjoyed decorating her home, hosted epic taco parties, Christmas gatherings, Easter Egg hunts, and Bingo extravaganzas.  Her scavenger hunts, devised along with her sisters, were legendary.  Her reputation as a card shark was known throughout her family.

As to family, she was a devoted wife to Marvin, supporting him through various health concerns and working alongside him to build several homes in Pella.  Together they developed a great love of camping and boating and made the Ozarks their annual vacation spot for more than 40 years. Trips to this beautiful Missouri lake each summer grew to

include children and grandchildren and were highly anticipated. They are now the source of some of the family's fondest memories and funniest stories.  The Ozarks tradition continues within the family, another legacy gift from Marvin and Marilyn.

Marilyn loved her children well.  She instilled in them a love of family fun and adventure, along with an unwavering faith.  She was a wonderful grandma who saw the individuality in each of her grandchildren and arranged special outings around the state with them as they grew up.

In 2021, she contracted Covid, which exacerbated her dementia.  The Marilyn that was known to all rapidly disappeared, and she spent her last three years struggling to comprehend the world around her, while still maintaining her recognition of family and love of Mountain Dew and McDonald's French fries.  The one phrase that she consistently repeated during this time was "I love you" and this was a gift and comfort to her family.  On December 31, 2024, she passed away peacefully at the Pella Comfort House, surrounded by her children.

She was preceded in death by her parents and four sisters, her husband of 52 years, and a beloved granddaughter Loni Ann May.

Although her children and grandchildren grieve her death, they also rejoice that she has found freedom and wholeness in her Heavenly Home. The family who will be buoyed by grand and wonderful memories in the years to come include:

Mark May

Loni May

Lacy (Andy) Lundgren

Isaac, Emily, Oliver, Evelyn, Theodore, Jane

Ross (Rebecca) May

Barrett, Beau

Monica (Vince) Newendorp

Brett (Jacki) Newendorp

Miles, Otto, baby due in March

C.J. (Bethany) Newendorp

Coby, Jasper

Kyle (Megan) Newendorp

Josephine, baby girl due in January

Melissa (Randy) Steenhoek

Aaron (Cory) Steenhoek

Emmett, Rhett, Klay, Quinn

Austin (Chelsea) Steenhoek

Kaden, Ella

Hali (Zach) Ruiter

Lily, Noah

Hospice of Pella - Day of Care
Pella IA