1945
Marilyn
2023
Marilyn Ann Pipkin
January 18, 1945 — February 25, 2023
Marilyn Ann (Heinen) Pipkin was called to her eternal home on Saturday, February 25, after relishing seventy-eight years of life and valiantly living with lung cancer for a year and a half. She was born on January 18, 1945 to Esther Alba (Baxter) Heinen and Eugene Anthony Heinen at Maxwell Field Army Air Base in Montgomery, Alabama, and was accompanied by her twin sister Madelyn Kay. After the end of WWII, their family settled in Beloit, Kansas, and then moved to Denver, Colorado when the twins were six years old.
Marilyn attended Catholic schools in north Denver, graduating from Holy Family High School, and going on to study at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She graduated with a degree in nutrition, and was married in Lakewood the next day, June 10, 1967, to David John Pipkin whom she had met while attending CSU. They briefly lived in Boulder, CO, and during this time Marilyn coordinated the school lunch program in Jefferson County Schools. In 1969, they moved to Longmont, CO, where Marilyn dedicated herself to raising their children, Chris and Tricia, and then to directing Life Choices Pregnancy Center for ten years.
After retiring, Marilyn and Dave moved to Cedaredge on Colorado’s Western Slope in 2001, where they made a home along Surface Creek and savored the beauty of the place and the warmth of the community, as well as frequently traveling throughout the country and internationally. In 2022, they celebrated fifty-five years of marriage. Throughout her life, Marilyn dedicated herself to loving her family and living out her Catholic faith. In 2021 she made her perpetual profession as a lay Dominican. She was a life-long, avid, and adept athlete. She loved doing almost any sport, but was especially passionate about skiing, cycling, hiking, backpacking, tennis, and pickleball. She loved being in the outdoors and reveled in the beauty of God’s creation. She infused her trademark high energy and exuberance into her athletic pursuits, community service activities, personal relationships and everyday activities.
Marilyn was proceeded in death by her parents and her sister-in-law Pat Pipkin. She is survived by her husband Dave, her sister, Madelyn Gaarde, her son Chris, daughter Tricia, daughter-in-law Melissa, and grandchildren Emily, Eric, and Evan; her brothers-in-law, Bob Pipkin, John Gaarde, and Chuck McConnell, her sister-in-law, Dorothy McConnell, and several nieces and nephews. She will be deeply missed. Many thanks to all family and friends, and Hospice staff who provided kind and generous support during her illness.
On Sunday, March 12, a wake will be held at 6:00 p.m. at St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church in Cedaredge. On Monday, March 13, the church will be open to mourners at 9:20 a.m., a eulogy will be shared at 9:45 a.m., followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. Inurnment will take place in the Cedaredge Cemetery Immediately after Mass. At 12:00 noon a luncheon in honor of Marilyn will be held in the Pioneer Town Stolte Shed, 388 S. Grand Mesa Drive, Cedaredge. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Hope West Hospice ( https://www.hopewestco.org/donate/ ) or to St. Philip Benizi Church (290 Northwest Cedar Ave., Cedaredge, CO 81413).
Join on Zoom:
Marilyn Pipkin's Eulogy and Funeral Mass
Mar 13, 2023 09:30 AM Mountain Time
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86975278579?pwd=YnNEZzBTd3ZnVjY2OXVFTzcvWEhLUT09
Meeting ID: 869 7527 8579
Passcode: 474644
Marilyn attended Catholic schools in north Denver, graduating from Holy Family High School, and going on to study at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She graduated with a degree in nutrition, and was married in Lakewood the next day, June 10, 1967, to David John Pipkin whom she had met while attending CSU. They briefly lived in Boulder, CO, and during this time Marilyn coordinated the school lunch program in Jefferson County Schools. In 1969, they moved to Longmont, CO, where Marilyn dedicated herself to raising their children, Chris and Tricia, and then to directing Life Choices Pregnancy Center for ten years.
After retiring, Marilyn and Dave moved to Cedaredge on Colorado’s Western Slope in 2001, where they made a home along Surface Creek and savored the beauty of the place and the warmth of the community, as well as frequently traveling throughout the country and internationally. In 2022, they celebrated fifty-five years of marriage. Throughout her life, Marilyn dedicated herself to loving her family and living out her Catholic faith. In 2021 she made her perpetual profession as a lay Dominican. She was a life-long, avid, and adept athlete. She loved doing almost any sport, but was especially passionate about skiing, cycling, hiking, backpacking, tennis, and pickleball. She loved being in the outdoors and reveled in the beauty of God’s creation. She infused her trademark high energy and exuberance into her athletic pursuits, community service activities, personal relationships and everyday activities.
Marilyn was proceeded in death by her parents and her sister-in-law Pat Pipkin. She is survived by her husband Dave, her sister, Madelyn Gaarde, her son Chris, daughter Tricia, daughter-in-law Melissa, and grandchildren Emily, Eric, and Evan; her brothers-in-law, Bob Pipkin, John Gaarde, and Chuck McConnell, her sister-in-law, Dorothy McConnell, and several nieces and nephews. She will be deeply missed. Many thanks to all family and friends, and Hospice staff who provided kind and generous support during her illness.
On Sunday, March 12, a wake will be held at 6:00 p.m. at St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church in Cedaredge. On Monday, March 13, the church will be open to mourners at 9:20 a.m., a eulogy will be shared at 9:45 a.m., followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. Inurnment will take place in the Cedaredge Cemetery Immediately after Mass. At 12:00 noon a luncheon in honor of Marilyn will be held in the Pioneer Town Stolte Shed, 388 S. Grand Mesa Drive, Cedaredge. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Hope West Hospice ( https://www.hopewestco.org/donate/ ) or to St. Philip Benizi Church (290 Northwest Cedar Ave., Cedaredge, CO 81413).
Join on Zoom:
Marilyn Pipkin's Eulogy and Funeral Mass
Mar 13, 2023 09:30 AM Mountain Time
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86975278579?pwd=YnNEZzBTd3ZnVjY2OXVFTzcvWEhLUT09
Meeting ID: 869 7527 8579
Passcode: 474644
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