Lily Marilyn (Lunney) Jones was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on February 7, 1930 to Lily Caroline (Richards) and Francis Coulter Lunney.  She had one sister.  Marilyn passed away of natural causes at the age of 90 on November 8, 2020 at Westhills Village Health Care facility in Rapid City, South Dakota. She grew up in Winnipeg and attended the University of Manitoba, earning a degree in Home Economics.  There she met her future husband, Walter Heath Jones, who was studying for ordination in the Anglican Church of Canada.

Marilyn and Walter were married in 1951, and throughout their 51 years of marriage Marilyn was a full partner in ministry to Walter (who served as a priest, and later, a bishop in both the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church in the USA.  He was also an archbishop in Canada.)  Throughout their years of service to God and the church, Marilyn took on many ministry and leadership roles, too numerous to mention.  She utilized her gifts of hospitality to warmly welcome others into her home and the church.  Marilyn and Walter had four children, three girls and a boy.  Marilyn was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

In the 1970's, when her own children were grown, she returned to school, earning a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Dakota.  She was hired by Sioux Valley Hospital (now Sanford) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to establish their first hospital-based childcare center for the children of hospital staff, which she did with great success.  Following a move back to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Marilyn became the Executive Director of Day Nursery Centre's three childcare centers there, providing outstanding service to children in that community and their families.  Throughout her life she had a deep concern for children and for the poor and hungry.   Her example of generous action on their behalf encouraged others to follow suit, impacting many lives.  Following Walter's retirement in 1995, they moved to Rapid City, South Dakota. After Walter's death, Marilyn moved to Westhills Village Retirement Community in Rapid City in 2012.  Her family is most grateful to the administration and staff of Westhills Village Retirement Community for their tireless efforts to protect their residents from COVID-19, and for the kind and compassionate care given to their mother during her final years.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Irene Scanlan, and her beloved husband, Walter.  She is survived by her four children, Lenore Mihara (Tom), Leah Jones (Larry Dumka), Barry Jones (Tamara Wilbur) and Kristin Babler (Lyle), her nine grandchildren and her eleven great-grandchildren (as well as three more great grandchildren on the way!)

In light of the current pandemic, a memorial service honoring Marilyn will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Rapid City at a later date when it is safe to do so.