Marilyn Halley Seeley

Marilyn June Halley Seeley was born June 3, 1932, to Pearl and Paul Halley. Her earliest years were spent in Winston-Salem, NC, prior to moving to Jacksonburg, WV, where she grew up on the family farm.

As WWII raged during her childhood years, she took lessons in hard work, faith, and generosity from her family, in particular her grandmother, who taught her to tackle problems head-on, don't let fear stop you from doing something, always be generous to those less fortunate, and never forget to laugh.

Following her graduation from Pine Grove High School, she attended Stratford College in Danville, VA and then Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, where she worked toward her Master's Degree in Music. While there, she enrolled in the Berlitz School of Languages, studying Russian. It was in the halls of Berlitz that she met Mike Seeley. After a brief courtship, they were married in Jackson Hole, WY, in May, 1959. Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Tangier, Morocco, working in the US diplomatic community. Their son Dana was born in Tangier. They spent a couple of years in the US, where daughter Laura was born, before again moving overseas to Amman, Jordan.

Following Mike's retirement from government work, they relocated to Jackson Hole, WY. Marilyn lent her musical talents to the town, generously donating her time and energy to accompanying school choirs, church choirs, town musicals, various special music performances, accompanying many All-State soloists, and teaching piano to a generation of Jackson school kids. She delighted in following the careers of her former students, always happy to see pictures of their families and hear of their accomplishments.

She left Jackson to once again pursue global adventures, traveling extensively throughout Europe, and spending two summers volunteering on an archeological dig in the Middle East, fulfilling a dual dream of returning to a place she loved, and getting to work in a field that fascinated her. Returning to West Virginia for a few years, she took care of her aging aunt and mother. Eventually she settled down in Fort Collins, CO, to be near her family. She was the epitome of supportive mother and grandmother, always with a keen and active interest in her family's pursuits, especially those of her granddaughter.

Marilyn is survived by her son Dana Seeley, daughter Laura (Brian) Davis, and granddaughter Gwennyn Davis, along with nieces and nephew Janet (Bill) Gross, Kevin Twentey, and Beth (Jay) McFarland, and a large extended family of cousins. Her laughter, love, and unfailing support will be greatly missed.

For those wishing to honor Marilyn in some way, please consider donating to one of the following charities that were close to her heart: Mercy Ships; Doctors Without Borders; and the Ladybug Fund, which she founded to help pet owners in financial distress pay for necessary veterinary treatment for their animals.