Marlys Kay Zimmer

Marlys Kay Zimmer was born February 12, 1926 in Ekalaka to Robert and Lora Livingston, and passed away on November 29, 2016. She shared a birthday with her sister Hazel Pease.

Marlys is preceded in death by husband Herbert Zimmer, daughters Carole Warzeka and Corliss Vandyne, granddaughters Rhonda Pedraza and Michelle Critchlow, grandson Ryan Caton, and son-in-law, Gary Fulmer.

Marlys is survived by five of her seven children: Eugene AKA Joe Zimmer, Linda Kay Zimmer, Starr Fulmer, David Zimmer (Toni) and Lori Lark McBride (John) and also multiple grandkids, great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids.

The youngest of six children, Marlys attended grade school in Ekalaka and Lame Deer. While in Lame Deer, she met Herbert Zimmer and they married on May 19, 1941 and raised seven children. Marlys helped Herbert with their saw mill, driving trucks on narrow back roads of Eastern Montana. In 1958, the family moved to Hardin where she drove a taxi and washed dishes at the hospital.

After a few years, she decided to become a teacher. Without a diploma, she passed an entrance exam and began college in Billings. She continued to wash dishes at 60 cents an hour and to drive to Billings, until she earned her teaching certificate. Her first teaching job was a two room school house at the Community School in North Valley near Hardin.

She later taught third grade at Crow Agency. In 1967, the family moved to Libby, where she taught special education until her retirement, continuing to travel to Billings in the summers until she received her full teaching degree in special education.

Marlys was a member of the Delta Kappa sorority and volunteered at St. John Lutheran Hospital gift shop. She and her dear friend, Harriet Wilson, both attended a craft group and enjoyed having lunch together. Her favorite foods were fried chicken, coffee and chocolate, and McDonald’s sausage biscuits were also often at the top of her list. She was a champion Scrabble player and word puzzle expert. She attended Libby Assembly of God church and loved to travel and visit family.

Marlys spent her last days at Brookside Assisted Living in Redmond, Oregon, where all spoke highly of her positive and grateful attitude. The words she spoke were life giving, encouraging and always witty. To those who knew her, Marlys was a genuine, human example of unconditional love.

A memorial service is scheduled at the Libby Assembly of God church family center noon Saturday, July 1, 2017.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Marlys’ name to Kootenai Valley Christian School in honor of her love and devotion to children and God.