Marilyn Irene Robinson

Marilyn passed away in Calgary, Alberta on Friday, October 14, 2022 at the age of 88 years.

Marilyn is the second of three children born to Burton George and Buelah Irene (Chapman) Graham. Her older brother Burton (1932) predeceased in infancy and her sister Carole was five years younger. Her father was a banker and her mother a trained pianist. The family resettled in Regina in later childhood where she met her first husband J.W. (Bud) Bird who was training for the RCMP. Her father died when she was 15. Upon marriage, Mom and Bud settled in New Brunswick and had four children, Cathy, Stephen, Nancy and Bill. Her mother and sister also moved to Fredericton, where they lived until their passing. She has one niece Lorie (Hopper) Kelly, residing in Ontario with husband Danny.

One of mom’s proudest achievements was her graduation from Camp Hill Hospital School for Nursing Assistance in December 1964. It was during this period that she met and married Marvin Robinson, an army veteran. They settled in Windsor, NS, where Marvin built them a home. They extended their family to include Mary Jean and John Burton. Mom was proud of all her children. In addition to parenting and homemaking, Mom was a competitive curler throughout NS. Marvin and Mom became the primary caregivers for two of their grandchildren, Jennifer and Daniel Cole. She was widowed in 1999.

Mom relocated to Calgary in 2005 with her grandkids in tow. Once the kids returned to Nova Scotia, Mom met Walter Varvazovsky, at their senior residence. “In love”, they travelled often to Europe, Mexico, Manitoba and BC (2012-2018). As a chef, Walter made many a great meal and together they enjoyed many culinary outings.

Mom loved to shop for books and clothes. She is probably the only senior with two additional wardrobe closets in her apartment. She also loved animals, having had many dogs and cats throughout her life time.

She is predeceased by her parents, her brother Burton, younger sister Carole and Carole’s partner Alma Waldron, her son Stephen Graham Bird, her second husband Marvin Robinson, her partner later in life Walter Varvazovsky, and her son-in-law Larry Kettlewell,

There will be no funeral at the request of the deceased; cremation has taken place and ashes will be interred in the family plot in Windsor NS.

If so desired, memorial donations may be made to the SPCA at https://www.calgaryhumane.ca/donate/donate-money/