Marilyn Jean Stephenson

Marilyn Stephenson passed Thursday evening in hospice at her daughter’s home, less than 3 days from her 99th birthday. She was born in North Baltimore on May 23, 1922, to Earl and Elva Slaughterbeck. The family moved to Toledo in search of work as the Oil Boom in North Baltimore dried up. She grew up on Harvest Lane, when it was the westward edge of Toledo, and there was nothing between there and Sylvania but woods. She attended Horace Mann elementary and graduated from Whitmer High School in 1940. She became a Registered Nurse and was licensed in multiple states, Ohio, California and New Mexico, during WWII, a time when her brother served with distinction with the United States Marines in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. She married Dr. William Stephenson, an eye surgeon, in 1959. The couple was very passionate about the practice of medicine, and dedicated their lives to the profession. Marilyn was a superb amateur artist and painter, and was also an avid angler. She also managed to always catch the biggest fish, much to the consternation of her more-than-avid angler husband. The two spent most of their free time on Lake Erie in the Spring, Summer, and Fall, and the Gulf Coast of Florida in the Winter. She had two children, William and Roberta, and the family often vacationed in the wilds of northern Ontario in the summer months, fishing, swimming, and camping. She is preceded in death by her mother and father, her brother, and her husband. She is survived by her children, and 3 grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Matthew, and Shannon. She is among the last of the generation that survived the Great Depression and WWII. Friends will be received on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in Walker Funeral Home, 5155 West Sylvania Ave, Toledo, OH 43623 (419-841-2422). A graveside service and burial will follow the visitation at Toledo Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.