Marilyn Evelyn (Longnecker) Wilhelm of Sac City passed away at age 80 at Blackhawk Life Care Center in Lake View on December 13, 2014.

Marilyn was born on December 19, 1933 near Odebolt, IA. She was the daughter of Eugene Welcom Longnecker and Evelyn (Ahrenholtz) Longnecker. She attended country school near Odebolt and Sac City, and graduated from Sac City High School in 1952. While in high school, she was active in drama, music, FHA, newspaper, and student government.

Marilyn graduated from Iowa State College (now University) in 1956, and taught home economics at Humboldt High School. While teaching in Humboldt, she met Keith Wilhelm, and they were married at the Methodist Church in Sac City on August 9, 1958. She then taught home economics for the Lytton Schools, and after staying home to raise her three sons, she taught for many years at the First Step Pre-school in Sac City.

Marilyn was very active in the Sac City community, especially in the United Methodist Church and the Fine Arts Council. She was an active member of her church circle, and taught Sunday School for many years. She directed community plays, and was very involved with the costuming of high school and community productions for four decades. She believed strongly in the value of the fine arts, and she was particularly proud of helping to bring Simon Estes to Sac City in 2011 to perform and work with the East Sac students.

Marilyn was inducted into the Sac City High School Hall of Fame in 1993, and was honored as the parade marshal for the Chautauqua Days parade. Marilyn organized many productions at the Chautauqua Building over the years, and spearheaded the creation of murals on tapestries of each town that are rolled down during events in that building.

Marilyn greatly enjoyed traveling, volunteering at the Sac County Tourism office, going to movies, attending shows in Branson, and watching her children’s and grandchildren’s school activities.  Her warm smile and loud laughter will be greatly missed by her many friends and family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Marvin. She is survived by Keith, her husband of 56 years; her three sons, Lance of Ames, Kevin (Joy) of West Des Moines, and Brent of Sac City; three grandchildren, Madeline Wilhelm, Haley Wilhelm, and Dylan (Taylor) Williams; two great grandchildren, Brayden and Bryson Williams; nephew Dale Longnecker; and many cousins and relatives.

Marilyn’s family would like to thank her many friends and the countless members of the community who helped her with her health issues in her final years.