Marilyn Jeannine Ross

Marilyn Jeannine Ross, born Jeannine Anderson on September 17, 1933, in Bear Lake, Michigan, passed away on October 31, 2026, at Harbor Hospice Poppen House. She lived a long life marked by hard work, determination, devotion to family, and the simple joys that brought her happiness.

Marilyn's life was one of perseverance and purpose. She attended high school in Grand Haven before leaving school, but her education did not end there. At age 40, she returned to earn her GED, a milestone that reflected both her strength and her resolve. She went on to graduate from the nursing program at Muskegon Community College. While attending school, she worked full time for the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce, balancing responsibility and ambition with remarkable dedication. She later served as a registered nurse at Brookhaven Medical Facility until her retirement, caring for others in a profession that suited her hardworking nature.

Her personal life was filled with many chapters. She married Edward Lewis in 1950, and though that marriage later ended in divorce, it was part of the family story she carried throughout her life. In 1958, she married Harvey James Ross. She was preceded in death by both Harvey Ross and Edward Lewis.

Marilyn found joy in the things she loved most. She loved the beach and cooking, and she treasured time spent in fellowship and fun. A bowling champion, she bowled in leagues every day of the week until she could no longer throw the ball, including at Northway Bowling. She also enjoyed bingo and Scrabble. In later years, becoming a member of Fellowship Church on Apple was especially meaningful to her. Jane and Bruce took her to church, and that connection was a cherished part of her life. Years earlier, she had given Diane a memoir book in which she wrote again and again of her desire to belong to a church, making that membership a deeply personal fulfillment.

She was also remembered for the stories and sayings that reflected her spirit. She once explained that she gave her children simple names because she did not want them to experience the confusion she had known with her own name, having been born Jeannine Anderson and called Marilyn after birth. Even in her final days, her words carried the spark of her personality. Her last words, spoken as her daughters were preparing to leave on Wednesday evening, were, "So what are we waiting for?"

She leaves behind a loving family who will continue to carry her memory forward. She is survived by her daughters Jane (Bruce) Gasaway, Mary Jackson and Diane (Eric) Schindlbeck. Her grandchildren, Symon Lewis, Alison Lewis, Kohl (Val) Gasaway, Chad Gasaway, Jeffrey Ross, Mindi Jackson, Tana Goryl and Derek (Katie) Goryl, and two great grandchildren Waylen Gasaway and Avery Jackson will remember her with love. She is also survived by daughters-in-law Diane Lewis and Pam Lewis. The lives of those she loved were shaped by her determination, her humor, her loyalty, and the example she set through a life of persistence and care.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Pearl Anderson and Esther and Leo Merriman; by her sisters, Millie Nummerdore and Mavis McGregor; by her husbands, Harvey Ross and Edward Lewis; by her children Alan Lewis, Steven Lewis and Jeffrey Ross; and by her grandson Kyle Jackson.

Marilyn will be remembered as a woman who worked hard, loved deeply, and found pride in what she achieved. From returning to school and building a nursing career, to the bowling lanes she loved, to the church home she longed for and found, her life was full of resilience, humor and heart. Her memory will remain a blessing to all who knew and loved her. The family would like to thank our sister Mary for the care and time she gave to our mother over the last years of her life. We will forever be grateful.

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