Rapid City - Marilyn Owen lived with pulmonary fibrosis for more than 5 years. She died of the disease on Monday October 18, 2010 at the age of 81. Marilyn lived a life dedicated to family, friends and to community service. She was a very active member of First Presbyterian Church most of her life and served in many leadership positions. One of her favorite organizations was the Mount Rushmore Society where she served on the Board of Director and also served as Chair of the affiliated Rushmore Historical Society. Marilyn was active throughout her life in a local PEO chapter and the Questers antique club. She was interested in genealogy and had researched her family tree back to the several hundred years. The Wilkens patriarch had immigrated to the United States leaving a brother behind in Germany. Marilyn's research was key in restoring contact with her the part of the family that is still living in Germany. The reunited family has remained in touch to this day. Marilyn valued friendship which was demonstrated by the large number of daily visitors she had during her stay at Westhills Village's Clarkson Mountain View Healthcare facility. These visitors included her regular Wednesday lunch group who decided to simply meet at Marilyn's and brought their lunches to visit and keep her an integral part of the group. All of these visits provided her with enormous comfort and made that last weeks of her life rewarding. Marilyn Owen was born April 5, 1929 in Nebraska. She was raised on a farm outside of DeWitt Nebraska and attended a one room school. After graduating from the High School in DeWitt she went to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. While there she joined the Kappa Delta sorority and majored in home economics, which she taught for two years. In 1950 she married Larry Owen, beginning a life long partnership that would last for 47 years. The couple lived in two small towns in Nebraska and moved to Rapid City in 1958. While in Nebraska Marilyn set aside her teaching when they adopted their son David and daughter Sue. After nine years the family moved to Cedar Rapids, IA where Marilyn took up painting and studied under a student of the famous artist Grant Wood. In 1970 they moved back to Rapid City when Larry accept a position as a Vice President with Black Hills Power and Light Company. Larry and Marilyn worked together on many community projects throughout his life, and Marilyn continued these involvements after Larry's death in 1997. They were particularly supportive of the Childerens Home Society and helped raise money for several expansions. In recognition of their joint involvement with a newly constructed school at the Black Hills campus, the Children's Home Society named the school the Owen School. Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband Larry Owen and her parents. Those thankful for having shared Marilyn's life include: daughter Sue Owen (Rapid City, SD)son David Owen and Debra Owen along with grandsons Parker and Gentry (Sioux Falls, SD); granddaughter Sabrina Owen (Charlotte, SC); her sister Ellen (Lincoln NE); her brother Everette Wilkens & Joan Wilkens (DeWitt NE). Surviving family members also include a nephew and three nieces and their children. A visitation is being held Thursday October 21st from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home on Jackson Boulevard. The family will be present from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday October 23rd at the First Presbyterian Church, 710 Kansas City St. with Pastor Bob Evans officiating. It was Marilyn's wish that memorials be given to First Presbyterian Church.